'Happy 100, Evelyn!,' TV star writes to Witney (From Witney Gazette)

'Happy 100, Evelyn!,' TV star writes to Witney

1:15pm Thursday 9th March 2006 in Witney

TELEVISION presenter Bob Holness has sent a birthday message to a 100-year-old woman from Witney whom he stayed with during the Second World War.

As reported in the Gazette last week, Evelyn Morris celebrated her big day on Monday, March 6.

The Blockbusters star lived with her for 18 months when he was evacuated from Ashford Grammar School, in Kent, in 1939, aged 11.

Mr Holness, who visited Mrs Morris when he moved back from South Africa, said: "It was wonderful.

"It was an interesting time in Witney.

"That spell of my life has never gone away, as they were so kind and nice."

"I remember the smell of sulphur from the blankets from the Early's factory. And that smell always reminds me of Witney."

Bob Holness

He said he had not known Mrs Morris was still alive until he was contacted by the Witney Gazette.

He said: "I thought she was wonderful then and I think she is wonderful now."

Mr Holness said one of his strongest memories of Witney was the smells in the town, and catching crayfish.

He added: "We rated the various rivers by the size of the crayfish we managed to catch.

"I remember the smell of sulphur from the blankets from the Early's factory.

"And that smell always reminds me of Witney."

He added: "The first night we were there, we had to sleep on the cinema floor. I remember getting up in the early hours and smelling a peculiar smell.

"I thought it was tea brewing, but it was the brewery."

Mrs Morris, who was born in her parents' house in Crawley Road, and now lives in Madley Park House, on the new estate, said she was amazed when Mr Holness came back to visit her.

She said: "My husband, Fred, could see someone walking up and down the street looking at all the houses, and eventually he knocked on my door.

"He was a lovely fellow."

Mrs Morris, who married her late husband, the head spinner at Early's blanket factory, in 1928, had her second brush with fame in the 1940s.

When she worked at Early's in Newland, she was responsible for sewing ribbons on to a blanket which was given to Queen Mary during a visit to the town.

The non-smoker, who enjoys the odd glass of Guinness in the evening, said the secret to long life was hard work.

Mrs Morris said she had really enjoyed her birthday, and received scores of cards wishing her well, including one from the Queen.

The sprightly centenarian celebrated her birthday with a party.