CHURCH bells rung out over the weekend to mark the 100th birthday of a popular villager.
Elizabeth Sharpe's milestone birthday on Saturday was marked by a 45-minute performance at St Margaret's Church in Braceborough by members of the Greatford Bellringing Team.
Mrs Sharpe, who lives in the care home at Braceborough Hall, also celeb
rated with a party.
She was born in Barnack on July 19, 1910, to farmworker Samuel and his wife Elizabeth.
She attended Barnack Primary School until she was 14 when she want to work in the offices at Chapman's shop in Stamford.
Mrs Sharpe married her sweetheart John on July 25, 1931, after meeting him at a dance class in Barnack.
The couple went onto have a daughter Gillian, who died 18 years ago. Gillian's husband Lewis and his second wife Pauline celebrated with Mrs Sharpe.
During the Second World War Mrs Sharpe was a fire warden in Greatford. As part of her duties she would look out for fires caused by dropping enemy bombs from Greatford Church tower.
On one occasion she spotted a fire in a garden and warned the homeowner, who put it out.
Her late husband John was a foreman at Fletton brick yards
Mrs Sharpe puts her long life down to good simple food.
She said: "Being 100 feels no different from 99. I have had a wonderful birthday.
"Everyone has been kind."
