Stisted care home resident shares her war time experiences

Shirley Daly, 82, is a resident at Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court care home, in Stisted.

She was born in Tilbury, Essex, on March 22, 1940.

She still has memories of growing up towards the end of the Second World War, and living in her family's flat in Canning Town.

Resident Shirley Daly enjoys a traditional pie and mash (Image: RMBI Care Co. Home Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court)

Shirley said: "Throughout my childhood, we always made the best of what we had.

"I remember the street parties celebrating the war's end and the tables laden with food.

"I wore a lovely fairy queen outfit for the children's fancy dress parade."

Her father was in the Merchant Navy, and her mother worked at a recycled sackcloth company.

Shirley attended the local school and remembers playing in the street and places that had been bombed during the war.

She loved swimming and during her youth represented her school in competitions, and later continued to enjoy swimming as a pastime.

Shirley was an active member of her social club at Canning Town's Dockland Settlement, where she met new people and made friends.

Aged 15, she  joined the team of sugar packers at the Lyle refinery in Plaistow, where tins of Lyle's Golden Syrup were first manufactured.

She went on to marry husband Charlie and together they travelled extensively to places including mainland Spain and Majorca, and enjoyed cruises around the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Red Sea and South America.

They raised five children together and today, Shirley cherishes the time spent with her family, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

To mark International Women’s Day, Shirley urged women to “enjoy life because it goes by so quickly”.

When asked her secret to a long and happy life, she said: "Having such a loving and supportive family.”