196 and a half years - 2 legends celebrate

It isn't every day you get invited to a 100th birthday party in fact I have never been as lucky to go to one before but Raymond Whitwell kindly invited my father who is "nor but a spring chicken' compared to Raymond -father is 96 and a half  and myself .There was a card from HM Queen Elizabeth and one from Amber Rudd and another from the forces

Raymond  lives in Malton, marked the occasion with a party for friends and family.  He looked a bobby dazzler with his pink tie and  handkerchief to match. Born in Rillington, Mr Whitwell moved to Scampston when he was a year old. He left school at 15 and got a job as an errand boy at G Longster and Sons in Malton. He was called up to the army in September 1939 at the age of 20 and was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) before moving to Belgium as the German advance began.

Mr Whitwell returned to Malton and opened his own shop in Castlegate as well as running several market stalls until he retired aged 90. I have known him since I was a little girl and my Dad used to sell him holly at Christmas time for making wreaths 

Mr Whitwell said one of his secret to a long life was eating honey. Both Raymond and my Dad tucked into great plates of roast beef and Yorkshire puddings before topping off with puddings too .All too soon it was time to say good bye. 

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