Patricia Harrison, a beloved resident of Sandgate, is marking an extraordinary milestone this month as she turns 100 years old.
The centenarian will be honoured at a special celebration held at The Sands Bowlo, a gathering that will be particularly poignant for more than one reason.
“We are having a little celebration at the Sandgate Bowls Club with family and friends as it’s also my sister Peg’s 99th birthday as she was born on the same day but 12 months later,” Patricia said.
Born on 25 September 1924, Patricia, along with Peg and their sister, Iris, and brother, Kevin, spent their early years at the Mt Pleasant Hotel in Gympie, which their father owned and remains in operation today.
“During the war years, my father, Hughie Murphy, would allow Peg and myself to often play the piano and violin to the soldiers in the lounge bar of the hotel,” Patricia said. “Dad was very strict and would not let us date any of the servicemen.”
Celebrating a Remarkable 100th Birthday at the Sandgate Bowls Club
After attending St Patrick’s Convent School in Gympie, Patricia worked at Rankin and Carey.
She married her husband, Len in 1948.
“In 1955, we moved to Sandgate with my two children, Michael and Maree,” Patricia said. “Later, I had two more, Monica and John.”
Patricia said the children attended local schools and the family participated in school committees.
Len made significant contributions to the Sandgate community, founding the drapery business, Russells. He was also a founding member of the Sandgate Chamber of Commerce and played an active role in the Brighton Roosters football club and the Brighton and Sandgate Bowls Clubs.
After Len’s passing in 1991, Michael took over the family business until his retirement in June last year.
Over time, Patricia’s family has grown to include nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She still lives in her home in Sandgate, built for the family in the 1960s.
She said that while she used to keep fit by playing tennis and golf, she now enjoys outings with her carers and morning tea at the Senior Citizens, where she enjoys meeting the members, listening to the music and tapping her fingers “as though I was playing the piano back in the old days”.
Patricia said there was “no special secret” to a long life.
“But I can say that my five veggies a day, as well as a wee drop of whiskey after 5pm helped,” she said.
Read more stories from the Sandgate Guide print magazine here:
- A Feast for the Artistic Senses
- Sparks Fly At Women In Welding Event At Bracken Ridge State High
- Canadian Guitar Virtuoso Kicks Off Australian Tour in Sandgate
- Colour Run Brightening The Future For Inclusion
- Funk It Up at the Sands Bowlo
- Organic Gardening in September
- A Physician of Both Soul and Body
- Local Family Honour Daughter’s Memory with Charity Day
- New Future for Historical Society
- Run, Cycle, Swim for a Cause
- School’s Out On The Green Gets Spooky This September
- Why Students Need Extracurriculars
- Get Up Close and Personal with Aussie Animals
- Paddles Ready for Pier to Pier Regatta
