Broadbridge Park Resident Allan Marks 100 Years With Memories Of A Full Life
On 31st May, Broadbridge Park hosted a very special birthday party for resident, Allan Meecham, who celebrated his 100th birthday.
Allan was joined by family and friends, along with the residents of Broadbridge Park Care Home, who enjoyed a buffet, a fabulous cake, and some wonderful music from a steel pan band. The weather was fine so the home’s beautiful garden was the perfect backdrop for a day when memories were shared and Alan’s eventful life was remembered.
Early Years and a Wartime Romance
Allan Meecham was born in Clapham, south London, in 1926, then moved to Normandy in Surrey. In 1935, when Allan was nine, his mother died. He and his brother, Keith, moved to live with his Aunt Hilda and Uncle Brian in Hillingdon. Allan attended Swakeleys Senior School in Ickenham and was encouraged to take up gymnastics at school, winning a number of awards and cups at the Middlesex Youth Championships. He also learnt piano and was taught to embrace a work ethic which would stand him in good stead throughout his life.
Allan met his future wife, Norma, at dances they both attended during the war years when Norma was on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). She worked as a radar operator at gun sites where they were trying to shoot down doodlebugs – unpiloted flying bombs which the Germans unleashed on London and the south east in the later stages of the war. Allan and Norma married in October 1949.
Work Life Balanced with Supporting the Local Community
Allan became a technical assistant for the Theatre Division of London County Council, where he inspected everything from flea pit cinemas to the Royal Opera House, and he graduated as a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. Their son, Bob, was born 1952. Following a move from Hillingdon to Hove to work at Shoreham Power Station, Allan and Norma welcomed their second son, Peter, in 1957. In 1962, the family moved to Ashtead in Surrey where Allan took on a role with the Central Electricity Generating Board.
Throughout his life, Allan’s interests were widespread and included history, particularly castles, geology and music appreciation. He had a strong sense of social and community welfare and became a Samaritan, spending many nights on duty despite having to go to work the next day. He also worked voluntarily for the CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) in Leatherhead and later, was a governor of Chesworth Junior School in Horsham.
Retirement, Travel and Life at Broadbridge Park
Allan enjoyed travel, with holiday destinations including Africa, Indonesia and Nepal, and Bangladesh, and in retirement he and Norma loved walking in the Lake and Peak Districts. In 1983 they moved from Ashtead to Horsham where Allan became a volunteer at the local Horsham Museum and the National Trust.
During the years that followed, Norma’s health declined and Allan had to spend more time looking after her, before her death in May 2015. They had been married for 65 years.
Allan suffered a stroke in 2017 which severely affected his mobility and he needed the support of carers. Just before the Covid pandemic in 2020, Allan moved into Broadbridge Park where he has been well looked after and has continued to try to be as independent as he can. His work ethic and very strong will have helped him through all life’s trials and have also enabled him to appreciate its many joys.
Having family and friends around him to celebrate his 100th birthday made the occasion extra-special for Allan, who was slightly overwhelmed by how many people attended and was keen to make sure they all had an alcoholic drink! Allan mingled with the residents as though he were royalty - after all, he had opened his birthday card from the King and Queen earlier - and they all wanted to personally wish him well and happy birthday. It was a relaxed and happy celebration of a life well lived, enjoyed by all – especially the 100-year-old birthday boy.
Welcome to Broadbridge Park Care Home
Broadbridge Park is our nursing and care home in Horsham, West Sussex. Conveniently located in Broadbridge Heath, we offer residential, nursing and dementia care. Broadbridge Park Care Home is luxurious and beautifully furnished whilst retaining a warm family atmosphere.
You’ll find first-class comfortable and modern spaces, exciting activities and plenty of places to relax or entertain. Residents and families make the most of our location to browse in the local shops and have lunch in the cafes and cosy pubs.
All of our residents are treated with the utmost care and respect, given the freedom to spend their time how they would like. From regularly planned arts and crafts, baking and gardening to live entertainment or even a visit to our in-house hair salon, there’s something for everyone.
