100, not out

By Bridget Brady
SHE may have lived in Australia for about 25 years, but Hilda Thursby will always be an English girl at heart, her daughter says.
Mrs Thursby, from the Lake District in the north of England, celebrated her 100th birthday at the Coptic Village Hostel in Hallam on Tuesday.
Her only child, Brenda Miller, 68, said her mum was a strong and independent person who didn’t hide her English roots.
“She used to say ‘this is better in England’, but she is getting better now,” Ms Miller said. “At first it was the weather, saying it is too hot or too cold, it’s never right. When we first came she thought the bacon didn’t taste as good, the sausage didn’t taste as good, things like that.”
Mrs Thursby arrived in Australia with her husband, Isaac, in 1984 – two years after her daughter’s family.
“She was in her seventies when she came out here so that was a big step to be with us. They had never been on a plane before and when I met them at the airport they looked really ordinary,” Ms Miller laughed.
Mr Thursby died in 1992 and Mrs Thursby moved into Coptic Village Hostel in December last year.
Ms Miller said she was not sure what the key to her mum’s long life was, because she always enjoyed greasy food, salty chips and never ate many fruit or vegetables.
She rarely drank, however, Ms Miller said.
Manager of the hostel, Mercedes Benjamin, said Mrs Thursby had a wonderful day on her 100th birthday.
“It went beautifully. Normally she just stays in her room but on Tuesday she was out and about laughing, so that was the highlight for us,” Ms Benjamin said.
Mrs Thursby enjoyed a lunch and entertainment with her family, staff and other residents at the hostel. Dignitaries included Holt MP Anthony Byrne and Casey mayor Lorraine Wreford. “She is wonderful for 100,” Ms Benjamin said.