THE woman believed to Alresford’s oldest ever resident has died aged 105… and a half!

Centenarian Irene Elliott, the proud head of five generations of her family, always reminded people who spoke of her age: “Don’t forget the half!”

Irene and her late husband, Alf, moved to Alresford when they retired and she became a well known in the community joining many clubs and becoming a member of St John’s Church in the town. She was later confirmed as a Christian, enjoying a “lovely garden party” after the service.

Irene was born in Woking, Surrey, on September 20, 1912, six months after the Titanic sank, and on leaving school worked in an office until she married Alf in 1929.

During the Second World War, she gave out refreshments to troops returning from Dunkirk and decided she wanted to help the war effort by getting a job at GQ Parachute Company in Woking as an inspector.

After the war she and Alf moved to Ripley and Irene was a secretary for 17 years at Surrey Police headquarters until the couple moved to High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in 1962 where Alf opened a garage while she did the administrative side of the new business. Later they moved back to Surrey and Alf ran a service station at Coxbridge, on the outskirts of Farnham, where they lived for 23 years.

After Alf retired the couple moved to Alresford where they enjoyed walking, gardening and travelling, while Irene was a keen artist who also enjoyed needlework and tapestry.

Alf died in 1996 and Irene continued to live a happy and varied life at her home in Bramble Hill and was a regular attendee at St John’s Church, The Giles Group, the New Farm Chapel, and the Luncheon Club.

Three years ago, with the birth of Elsa, her great-great-granddaughter, Irene became the head of the family and she asked for a photograph to be taken to mark this “unique occasion” as it was only the second time in 31 years there had been five generations of the family. In the picture were her daughter Doreen Johnson, granddaughter Gillian Horne, great-grandson Duncan Horne, and his daughter, Elsa, who is Mrs Elliott’s great-great-granddaughter.

In January 1984, a picture was taken with Duncan as the new arrival, with the head of the family being Mrs Johnson’s own grandmother, and Mrs Elliott’s mother, Alice Hoare, who was 92 at the time and living in Woking.

Irene shared many memories with her family. One particular event she remembered was being taken to Scotland by her mother to see the German High Seas fleet being escorted to Scapa Flow at the end of the First World War and being reunited with her father who was serving with the Royal Navy.