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Celebrations for Esther’s 102nd birthday!

Published: 15/06/2018

The Chairman of Flintshire County Council has helped a Flintshire resident celebrate a very special birthday. Esther Critchley enjoyed her 102nd birthday at Croes Atti Residential Care Home on 13 June where she was visited by Councillor Paul Cunningham and his Consort, Mrs Joan Cunningham. Esther was born at Pen Ucha Mynydd Farm, Sychyn in 1916. The middle daughter of John and Mary Morrison, she attended Sychdyn school before passing the scholarship to Mold Grammar. Esther left school at 14 and went into service in Southport for 3 years. She then went to Pontblyddyn before going to Cornist Hall in Flint to work for the Summers family. She married Ralph Blackwell in April 1940 and went to work for Dr Ross in Flint, before her daughter Maureen was born in 1944. One highlight in Esthers life was meeting the Queen in 1953 for a state visit at the Eisteddford Pavillion in Rhyl. Her first husband died in 1988 and she married Donald Critchley in 1992, flying abroad for the first time in her life to holiday. Esther lived in Sychdyn until 2009 when she moved to Croes Atti Residential Care Home in Flint where she has been happy and well cared for since. PHOTO: Chairman Cllr Paul Cunningham, Debbie Shearsmith (Croes Atti Manager), Katie Thomas (Care Assistant, Croes Atti), Geoff Parry (Esthers son-in-law), Esther Critchley, Maureen Parry (daughter) and Chairmans Consort, Mrs Joan Cunningham