Quiet but long life for Mrs Lucock

Press, 17 December 1982, Page 1

Quiet but long life for Mrs Lucock

Mrs Grace Miriam Lucock, who will celebrate her hundredth birthday today, does not regard long life as an achievement.

For her, longevity is a family trait. Mrs Lucock’s mother and father, and those' of her nine brothers and sisters who survived childhood, died in their 80s. Was there a secret? Live quietly and avoid excitement, was her advice. Mrs Lucock, who began work at 15 and emigrated to New Zealand from England when she was 42, said yesterday that her life had been uneventful and that she-had not “done anything much.” Mrs Lucock’s hearing is failing but otherwise her health is good and always has been, except for a childhood bout of scarlet fever. She maintains an active

and bright-eyed interest in the events of the day, reads extensively, and enjoys letter-writing.

Mrs Lucock received a birthday telegram yesterday from the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Fraser. One of her sons was, for 40 years, Deputy Speaker in the Australian House of Representatives.

“Nothing has come from Mr Muldoon yet,’’ she said. However, the tiny 100-year-old, who has voted Labour all her life, does not have .a high opinion of the Prime Minister or of his Government.

She is “very cross” with its present performance and does not agree with its policies.

She also expects that the traditional telegram from the Queen will arrive today

but, again, she is not especially impressed by Royalty. “I shook hands with the Queen once,” she said. “It was just like shaking hands with any other person.” Mrs Lucock’s memories of childhood are vivid. She lived in south-east London, near a munitions factory at Woolwich Arsenal, and recalls life then clearly. She has three children, 10 grandchildren, and 20 greatgrandchildren and lives in her central city house with her daughter;

Mrs Lucock, who has lived in Christchurch for the last 30 years, has been a widow since 1966. Her husband, Mr Alan Lucock, was a well known barber in the city. She will celebrate her birthday today quietly with her family.