Plymouth woman celebrates milestone 100th birthday

A Plymouth-born woman, Barbara “Bobby” Blatchford, is set to celebrate her 100th birthday on January 9. 

Now living at Mulberry House on the outskirts of Bovey Tracey, Bobby is known for her vibrant and active lifestyle, which she maintains even as she reaches this incredible milestone.

Described by the residential home as a well-loved member of their family, Bobby walks the grounds daily, come rain or shine, and takes part in group reminiscence sessions and religious services provided by Rora Christian Fellowship and the Bovey Tracey Church of St Peter, St Paul, and St Thomas of Canterbury.

Her two sons, Eric and Roy Blatchford, have shared a touching tribute titled “Overview of Bobby’s First 100 Years.”

Barbara ‘Bobby’ Blatchford - by sons, Eric and Roy

Barbara ‘Bobby‘ Blatchford was born in Plymouth on January 9th 1925 to William Hill , a Piano Tuner and Repairer, and Constance Hill. 

‘Bobby’ was christened Barbara Mary Blanche and has one younger sibling, Bernard Hill, a mere 97 years old.

When Bobby was just 17 years old in 1942 she enlisted in the Women’s Air Force (known as the ‘WAF’) without telling her Mum and Dad who, as you might imagine, were not best pleased but she was determined to enlist.

It was in the WAF that she was given the nickname ‘Bobby’ as there were too many other young women called Barbara in the same group! 

After initial training she was posted in 1943 to Exeter airport where she and her colleagues plotted on giant maps where the German fighter airplanes were located as they came over England for bombing raids. 

On one occasion, as German fighter planes approached South West England, there was an air raid siren at Exeter airport and personnel were instructed to take cover in underground shelters. 

Bobby initially stayed put, still plotting the locations of incoming enemy aircraft, whilst others ran for cover until the commanding officer shouted at Bobby ‘get into the shelter - I don’t want a dead WAF on my watch!’

Bobby met Don Blatchford in Torquay shortly after the war ended. 

Don Blatchford was born in Torquay in 1924, went to Torquay Grammar School and married Bobby Blatchford at The Parish Church, Upton, Torquay on July 31st 1948. 

The first picture attached is of Bobby and Don Blatchford walking along Torquay seafront in Summer 1948. 

Bobby was a loving wife for 73 years until Don Blatchford passed away in Newton Abbot in September 2021 at the age of 97 years. 

The second image is of Bobby on top of Haytor Rock, Dartmoor, also in 1948 and Dartmoor remains a special place for Bobby who led walking groups around the moors for many years and still goes back to Haytor and to Widecombe in the Moor regularly with her sons, stopping off at the Moorland Hotel or the Rock Inn for lunch and the ice cream van at Haytor car park! 

The third image is of Bobby last week in the Rock Inn with Luke, one of her grandchildren.

Bobby has two children, Roy and Eric Blatchford.

The fourth image is of Bobby with her two children, last year at Passage House Inn, Newton Abbot. 

She is a grandmother to three (Luke; Kerrie Ann and Sean) and a great grandmother to five (Benjamin ; James; Shea ; Matthew and Eabha). 

The fifth image is of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

Whilst her immediate family are very important for Bobby, so is having close friends and she developed a very close network of loyal friends who stayed in touch with her as the family moved around the country for her husband’s work. 

Bobby and Don retired to Newton Abbot in the 1980’s where they had a very fulfilling life until Bobby moved to Mulberry House Residential Home in 2023 at the age of 98 years.

Mulberry House has been a wonderful place for Bobby in recent times with extremely caring staff who look after her so very well.

Bobby has always been adventurous. 

She travelled regularly with her husband on holidays, particularly within Europe. 

Amongst other adventures she went cross country skiing in Wisconsin, USA, in her 60’s;

travelled in a hot air balloon in her 70’s and for her 80th birthday visited the Golden Triangle in India; first to Delhi; then to Agra and the Taj Mahal and finally to Jaipur. 

The sixth image is of Bobby and her son Eric in front of the Taj Mahal. 

Well into her 90’s she visited family in Ireland and in Oxford where she visited numerous gardens, historic houses, art galleries with regular walks along beaches and hills.

Bobby is not only a natural good Samaritan in her everyday life but became a formal member of the Samaritans in Southampton for many years. 

She also helped with ‘Meals on wheels’ and separately she visited hospital wards taking ‘Books on wheels’ to patients in hospital wards.

Bobby was also a long-time member of Mothers Union until more recent years.

Bobby was an excellent cook and hostess for visiting family and friends but perhaps of greatest importance is her on-going religious faith.

For 30 years or more, until recently, St Blaise church in Haccombe has been her place of worship as well as a place for flower arranging, Christmas carol concerts and the source of making many close friends.

At the age of 100 years, Bobby’s only medication is an occasional sleeping tablet. 

To what does she attribute her long and healthy life?

It’s a combination of a good nutritious diet; an active lifestyle; a loving family; a large group of trusted friends; a deep and lasting religious faith and, finally, the occasional glass of wine or Baileys Irish Cream Liquer!

The 7th photograph is from the Ness Restaurant at Shaldon just three months ago.