East Ender Nell is 106 years young
WHEN Ellen Davidson was born King Edward VII was on the throne. The Prime Minister was Arthur Balfour and just days before Ellen was born the Wright Brothers completed the first powered flight. Mrs Davidson has just celebrated her 106th birthday in the S
WHEN Ellen Davidson was born King Edward VII was on the throne.
The Prime Minister was Arthur Balfour and just days before Ellen was born the Wright Brothers completed the first powered flight.
Mrs Davidson has just celebrated her 106th birthday in the Stepney care home where she has been living since her centenary.
She grew up in North London and the family moved from Hoxton to Stepney in the 1940s and to Bow after the war and later moved to Wickham House in Jamaica Street in Stepney.
In more recent years she lived on the Isle of Dogs.
Mrs Davidson's husband Charles Frederick who died in 1981 served in both wars. Three of their sons also served in the military with Charles as a rear gunner in the RAF, Alfred as a sub-mariner and Alec in the RAF in Singapore.
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Her youngest son Rodney, 75, who is known as Nobby, served in Malaya on his National Service.
He said: "During the war she worked a horse and cart for the London and North Eastern Railway and she assisted the driver."
After the war Mrs Davidson who is known as Nell worked as a care worker before getting a job as a presser with the tailoring company Schneiders in Cavell Street.
Mr Davidson said: "She grew up in the slums of North London. We think the family were from Primrose Hill and she got married in Kingsland Road, Hackney. When she was young she was a work horse. She never stopped. Her home was everything."
He said his mother stopped smoking many years ago and was not a drinker, although she was given a cigarette and a Baileys on her 100th birthday.
Mrs Davidson celebrated her birthday on Sunday (Dec 27) and enjoyed seeing a new picture on her congratulatory card from the Queen.
Her son Nobby said: "She looked at it and said what a lovely photo it was."
The Queen has recently rung the changes with cards sent to centenarians after a complaint that the same picture was sent each year to anyone over 100.
Mrs Davidson has just two sons now, Nobby and Charles and has eight grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
