Big 100th birthday surprise for former Worthing shopkeeper

Joan Finlay is a popular member of Goring United Reformed Church and there was a large crowd singing Happy Birthday outside her house on Saturday morning.

She used to run the VG Food Store in South Street, Tarring, with her late husband Frazer, having previously run a small store in Hove.

Julie Ward, who has known Joan for 40 years, said: “Joan is both beautiful inside and out. She has a wicked sense of humour and is loved by so many people and the easiest person to care for.

“Up until Covid, Joan was still coming with me to do her own shopping and going to church every week.

“Sadly, her planned party was cancelled. I didn’t want this occasion of her 100th birthday to be missed, so I thought if she can’t go to the party, the party will have to come to her.

“Joan’s family live too far away to come for the day, so we hope to celebrate with them later on this year.”

Joan and Frazer moved to Worthing to take over the store in Tarring in 1975. She joined Goring United Reformed Church and the Women’s Guild, played the piano and sang in the choir.

Julie said: “Even now, Joan can play a hymn on her piano.”

Frazer died in July 2005 and Joan has lived alone since then, with support from her carer and Julie, a former neighbour and parish nurse with Maybridge Community Church.

Joan was the eldest of three children in the Eldridge family, born in Linslade, Bedfordshire, on June 20, 1920. Her father was a policeman in the Buckinghamshire Constabulary and was proud to be PC99.

The family moved to Cheddington when Joan was four and her twin brother and sister were born when she was seven.

Joan, a keen athlete, was the first pupil in her school to win a scholarship to Aylesbury Grammar School.

She went on to work in the telephone service in Slough, starting at the age of 19, just as the Second World War broke out. Her work involved giving out air raid warnings and supervising the staff.

Joan took over running the Lifeboys of Boys’ Brigade at the Methodist Central Hall in Slough, with her sister’s help. At about the same time, Frazer joined the Boys’ Brigade company as lieutenant, having moved from Belfast.

Julie said: “Joan lived in Datchet and she well remembers the floods of 1947, when her house was flooded with 3ft of water. Her father, being in the police force, had to work in the community helping local people to clear up, so Joan and her sister had to carry what they could from the ground floor upstairs.

“It was hard work but they quite enjoyed it all, as the army was called in to help, and Joan was transported around the district in a Duck. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?”

Joan and Frazer were married in 1949 at the Methodist Central Hall in Slough, where Joan was a Sunday School teacher and a member of the choir.

Frazer worked for Horlicks as an engineer and in 1960, he was sent to India to the East Punjab to build a factory.

Julie said: “Of course, Joan went too and they were there for 2½ years. Living conditions were not completely comfortable but they lived in the local Maharajah’s hunting lodge.”

When the couple returned to England, Frazer left Horlicks and they took on the shop in Hove.

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