Queen sends second card to 105-year-old

Lois Lumley, of Hartington View, Staveley, has survived two World Wars and has witnessed the reign of three monarchs.

She celebrated her magnificent milestone on October 24 with a special afternoon tea at Chesterfield’s Casa Hotel, surrounded by her family and friends.

Among the guests were her daughter, Lois Newton, eight grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren, along with long-time friends and former work colleagues who she has regular contact with.

Lois, formerly Halford, who was born in Selston, attended Selston School before going onto secretarial college in Sheffield.

After taking up a role with the Inland Revenue, at the age of 20 she met and married James Lumley, a miner from the next village.

He went onto management roles in the mining industry before his death in 1969.

When the Second World War broke out Lois was already a member of St John Ambulance and spent the war years nursing soldiers.

After the Armistice, she was approached by local solicitors, Cook and Bastide, and became a legal executive, retiring in her 70s.

When not devoting her time to her extended family, Lois has been an enthusiastic member of Ringwood Hall club and an enthusiastic and successful table games player.

She has an active and enquiring mind and still completes a newspaper crossword every day in between engaging in TV quiz shows.

Among the highlights of her long life she often recalls her many bike rides, including one to Great Yarmouth with frame tent attached.

She has a great passion for Derbyshire and the Peak District, travelling around on foot and by bicycle initially and then car in later years.

She says the one and only time she was lost for words was meeting the Queen at Chatsworth House, her favourite place.

She said the secret to a long life is “contentment”.