WORKING AT 97

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 169, 13 April 1932, Page 2

WORKING AT 97

Long, Healthy Lives “OLDEST INHABITANTS’’ “If you want to live a long and healthy life, come aud live in our Hampshire village of Micheldever!” says a resident, of the district. Micheldever has a population of about 800, engaged in farming, and they grow good crops. But the boast is that the district lias more healthy old people to the acre than any other village iu England. Writing recently, a correspondent of the “Daily Express” said: We have been celebrating sonic of their birthdays this week-end. Mrs. Elizabeth Grounsell was 97 on Saturday, and Mr. William Bell was 1)1 on Friday. Mrs. Grounseli lives alone and does practically all her own housework. "I’m not bored,” she.said, “because there is always something to do in the house. But I don't go for the walks 1 used to.” Mr. Bell is no less active. He dug all his own potatoes last year. “I didn’t mean to when I started,” he said, “but Wae work seemed to grow on me, and I just went on until I had finished the lot.” Mr. George Foot is a young stripling of only 89 years, and is :t little bashful about putting forward his opinions among so many older than he. Every morning lie takes the milk round for his son-in-iaw, and used to be accompanied by his grandson. But now Lbe

grandson uses a bicycle, as be could not keep pace with grandfather! The correspondent adds: We don’t advertise ourselves in Micheldever. Cheltenham we know, and we have heard of Buxton and Harrogate; once (be squire went to a place called Aix-les-Bains, although he came back again after three days because it was so full of foreigners! We reckon that if the parish council built a casino, changed (lie name of our village to Michel de Vere, aud then put an .advertisement iu the newspapers, every man who owns his bit of land here would be a millionaire in six months. But then, perhaps, wo shouldn't be so healthy, nor live so long, and so we’re just going to keep going along as we are.