28th May 1949 SA

Mr. John Wright, of Prospect House, Sandon, who was 100 years old on Thursday, maintains he “never felt better” with a 100-candle birthday cake from tenants of the Sandon estate and friends from Burston. At noon the church bells were rung for him, and among many letters of congratulation was one from the King and Queen. The village school children gave him an outsize birthday card which they had painted. He was also visited by the Earl and Countess of Harrowby.

At their meeting on Thursday Stone Rural Council decided to send him a congratulatory telegram.

Coming from a farming family, he is the son of the late Mr. James Wright, of Cauldon, near Alton, and is the only surviving member of a family of seven. As a young man he farmed on his own account in Derbyshire, and later at Chartley Manor, before moving in 1881, to Yew Tree Farm, Sandon. On his retirement 30 years ago he went to live at Burston.

He was formerly rating officer for Sandon under Stafford Rural Council and his hobbies were his ornamental garden, wood carving, and music. He was organist at Sandon Parish Church for 34 years, and after his retirement in 1933 continued to play at Burston until he was 90. In his younger days he was a keen horseman.

Though a non-smoker, he is not a tee-totaller, and says he has never had “too much.”

He has been twice married. His present wife was formerly Miss. E. Sampson, of Hopton. He has no family.

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