Rose celebrates 102nd birthday with snowball fight
While most people celebrate their birthday with cake or a glass of bubbly, Rose Ruscoe marked her 102nd celebrations with a snowball fight with her family.
Mrs Ruscoe who was born, in North Street, Wolverhampton, on March 22, 1911 has lived in the city all her life and puts her longevity down to hard work and getting up at 5am.
A former polisher she earned the equivalent of 48p a week before she was married at St Luke's Church, in Blakenhall, to her first husband Bert Povey in 1935.
She then remarried, aged 62 to Arthur Ruscoe. Mrs Ruscoe, now of Avenue House, in Tettenhall, has three children – Colin, Michael and Paul – as well as nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great grand-children.
She said: "I had a lovely birthday. I went out and threw a few snowballs with my family – which not a lot of people my age can say they did. My children bought me a frame for my telegram from the Queen for my 100th birthday. I've lived in Wolverhampton all my life and I've seen many changes.
"The biggest is probably is that there are less horse and carts in the city nowadays – I think I prefer them to cars to be honest. A lot of governments have come and gone since I've been here and I still feel in my day people were more inclined to help one another out.
"I first started working as polisher at the age of 14 and even though I was earning 48p, that first week I got my wage I skipped all the way home.
"I don't know what the secret is to my age – other than working hard, like I've always done, getting up at 5am and going to bed at midnight."
