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A great-great grandmother who was born prematurely at 24 weeks has celebrated her 105th birthday today.
When Lillian Rose Howitt was born on November 20, 1918 – just nine days after the end of the first world war – she was so small she was fed with a fountain pen.
Mrs Howitt, from Cefn Fforest, was born weighing just 1.5lbs (680g).
Her 105th birthday was marked with family on Sunday November 19, with an afternoon tea party held for her. She also received a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Growing up, Mrs Howitt had nine siblings, all of which she has outlived. Her father was a miner at Britannia Pit in Pengam and paid £200 for the house she was born in more than a century ago.
During World War II, Mrs Howitt was in Belgium, attending to Army, Navy and Air-force officers.
Mrs Howitt described her role in WWII as being a “jack of all trades”.
It was in Belgium she met her late husband, Bob Howitt. The pair got married in 1945 and were married for 63 years.
Mrs Howitt has previously said her longevity was predicted by a fortune teller she visited when she was young.
Her granddaughter, Stephanie Davies, described Mrs Howitt as an “amazing, strong-willed, very opinionated sassy diva”.
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