‘Mrs Torbay’ Joan celebrates her 100th birthday
Joan Nott, who spent 30 years promoting Torbay, is 100 - Credit: Archant
Joan Nott spent 30 years promoting Torbay - now she is celebrating her 100th birthday
A great-grandmother who spent decades extolling the 'naturally inspiring beauty' of Torbay is celebrating her 100th birthday.
Joan Nott and her late husband, Michael, were Blue Badge Tourist Guides for 30 years promoting tourism on the English Riviera.
Joan specialized in Torbay's world-famous crime writer Agatha Christie, showing around journalists from all over the world right up until her late 90's.
She was a teacher through The Blitz in London, travelled the world with her husband when he was in the Army and eventually settled in Torquay in 1966
Since her 90th Birthday she has been involved each September in the Annual Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay. At the age of 96 she gave a lecture at Torre Abbey, introduced by Agatha's grandson Mathew Prichard. She was very friendly with Agatha's daughter Rosalind Hicks.
Former antiques dealer Michael died in 2005 but it was being a Blue Badge Tour Guide that kept her going.
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Joan continued to travel and in her 90th year went to Russia. She has travelled extensively through Europe in her 90's.
A Woman of Achievement winner, Joan is still a member of Torquay Inner Wheel Club,( she was President in 1975) and The Civic Society, Torquay Museum and Motorcise which has motorized machines for exercise. She has three daughters, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Joan lives in her flat in Torquay and a big party was planned for her centenary celebrations on Thursday but that has had to be put on hold.
Daughter Celia said: 'She was so looking forward to a big party with 100 people invited. We are postponing it until it is safe for a large gathering. My niece Esme has sent out 100 pieces of fruitcake to the guests so that they can have a drink and piece of cake with Mum at 1pm on her birthday, so that she can feel that people are thinking of her.
'We have been unable to visit her during the lockdown. We send food parcels round and speak to her on the phone each day but it's not the same as visiting. She is still very alert and still has a great sense of humour.'
