100-year-old former Pendle weaver receives royal delivery for milestone birthday

Ethel Ashworth was being presented with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Trawden Forest Friendship Group when the postman arrived with a special telegram from the Queen.

Ethel is a regular attendee at the friendship group where she enjoys meeting up with friends and having a good ’natter’.

An extra special celebration is being planned to mark her milestone birthstone at the community centre once the situation allows.

Ethel married her husband, Kenneth, in 1943, the couple starting life together in a rented a house in Trawden, for just eight shillings and sixpence (42 1/2p) per week.

She has lived in that same house now for 77 years.

During her working life, Ethel was a weaver in Hopkinson’s Mill, Trawden, before becoming a 'Pinner”. She completed her working life as a tea lady at Courtaulds, now LBS, and also served in the shop.

She has seen many changes in her 100 years, recalling riding on trams from Colne to Trawden as well as the charabanc, which carried passengers for part of the week, and coal for the remainder.