An Exmouth resident will be celebrating her 100th birthday later this month.
Violet Collins was born in Exmouth on August 17 1924. Her family lived in Belmont Terrace, Withycombe at the time.
She left school at the age of 14 and worked in a general store called Leonards. After WWII broke out she went to work at Whipples in Exeter making parachutes. When Exeter was bombed the factory closed, so Violet became a bus conductor for Devon General.
She married her husband Leonard on March 22 1943 – just three days before he went away to war for three years, serving with the RAF in India. After he returned home they were able to start a family, and had three children. Violet later returned to work, first at Clarks shoe factory in Exmouth and then at the Moriglen nursing home.
Violet and Leonard were married for 70 years, until his death in 2013.
She now has seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. She still lives in her own home, supported by carers, and will be celebrating her centenary with family and friends.
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