A woman from Exmouth celebrated her 100th birthday with her family last Thursday (May 25).

Rosemary Rigg was born on May 25, 1923 in the vicarage of Ixworth, a village in the depths of Suffolk, where her father, the Rev Howard Hart, had been minister since 1917.

After war had broken out, and as soon as she had finished school, Rosemary started nursing at the large military hospital in Newmarket, where she cared for allied and enemy casualties alike, soon rising to the rank of Matron.

After the war she became a secretary to one of the eminent surgeons at Addenbrookes, after which she decided for a change of scene and went to work as a librarian for a number of years in Kenya.

Following her return to England she married Alec Rigg, another clergyman, living first back in Suffolk, in the village of Wingfield, where Benjamin Britton and Peter Pears were close neighbours and friends of Rosemary.

Rosemary has always been very musical, enjoying singing in choirs wherever she has lived.

When Alec retired from active ministry, they moved to Worcester, where Rosemary ran a retirement home in what was the former residence of William Perrins, one of the inventors of Worcester sauce.

After Alec’s death, Rosemary settled in Lympstone, to be near many of her old friends. She has been a very active member of the local and church community, though sadly her advancing years have gradually reduced her active involvement.

Fiercely independent, Rosemary lived on her own until 2021, when she moved into Halsdown House, Exmouth, all the staff have made her most welcome and continue to look after Rosemary supporting her and caring for all her needs.

Rosemary is joined in her 100th Birthday celebrations by members of her family: her nephew Piers and wife Sandra, her great niece Saskia, and great great niece Vesper.

Also present to celebrate her 100 years was Revd Sid Humphries and many of her Lympstone friends whom she has known since moving to Lympstone in the late 1980s.

Rosemary was so pleased to see members of her family and friends, including Baggie the black Labrador, a breed of dog that Rosemary had a great fondness for, over the past years one was always by her side.

She also received the customary birthday card from King Charles.