A Remarkable Centenarian: Elizabeth HILDICK nee

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td bgcolor="#800000"> <p> </p> </td></tr></table><table dir="ltr" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td valign="top"> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="images/34b8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="images/24896c60.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="198" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="images/24196c70.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="199" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="images/24396a00.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="160" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="images/245961a0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="282" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="images/24e969f0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="159" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="images/25096f90.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="249" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="images/34c8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>     </B><B>|</B><B> </B></FONT><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U><B>Home</B></U></A><B> | </B><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rushall Baptisms 18371840"><U>Rushall Baptisms 1837-1840</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rushall Marriages 18371839"><U>Rushall Marriages 1837-1839</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rushall Burials 18371840"><U>Rushall Burials 1837-1840</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kellys Directory"><U>Kelly's Directory</U></A>   |   <B>A Remarkable Centenarian:    Elizabeth HILDICK nee </B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="images/34c8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>A Remarkable Centenarian:    Elizabeth HILDICK nee </I><I>DUKES (1797-1899).</I></div> <div> The following Obituary of a remarkable native of Pelsall, Staffordshire was brought to my attention by Mr Brian Hildick, (a descendant of the HILDICK's of Rushall), who in turn had obtained the information from Sheffield Archives.</div> <div> Elizabeth <B>HILDICK</B> nee  <B>DUKES</B> was born in Pelsall, Staffordshire 13 December 1797 and was baptised at St Michael, Pelsall on the 6 January 1798 the daughter of John & Sarah <B>DUCKES</B> (sic). On the 29th December 1825 Elizabeth married Aaron <B>HILDICK</B> at St Michael, Rushall. Destined to live to the great age of 101 (just 6 weeks short of her 102nd birthday), she could recall many events from her youth, which was spent in Staffordshire, and many of these were recorded in the following Obituary.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="518" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#FFFBF0 HEIGHT= 1600 WIDTH="506"><div> Sheffield Telegraph - 22 October 1899.</div> <bR> <div> <B>DEATH OF A SHEFFIELD CENTENARIAN</B></div> <div> <B>_____________________</B></div> <div> <B>MRS ELIZABETH HILDICK OF PITSMOOR.</B></div> <bR> <div> Our readers will remember that on December 14th 1897, we announced that Mrs Elizabeth HILDICK, who was then living at Crabtree, had completed her 100th year. A year later we recorded the celebration of the old lady's 101st birthday, when she was in capital health and spirit. It now becomes our duty to record Mrs Hildick's decease, which took place on Wednesday evening at Melrose Road, Pitsmoor, at the age of nearly 102. During the last months the old lady enjoyed good health and gave very few signs of decay. On Wednesday morning her son, Mr Aaron Hildick of Bridge Street, thought she was not quite as well as usual and called a doctor, who said there seemed to be nothing amiss, and he promised to call again in a few days. Towards evening Mrs Hildick had tea, and at six o'clock went to bed. At length a slight change was noticed, and the end came --------.  the venerable old lady passing peacefully away in the presence of her family. She leaves a son and three daughters, the oldest being 73, many grandchildren and some great grandchildren.</div> <bR> <div> Mrs Hildick was born at Pelsall, Staffordshire on December 13th 1797. her earliest recollection was of being held up in her grandfather's arms, when four or five years of age, to see a man flogged tied to the rear of a cart in Walsall Market Place. She remembered the crowd expressing their approbation by groans and shouts. After leaving school, she went to live with her uncle at Tamworth and she used to speak with pride of how the first Sir Robert Peel held open the gate of one of her uncle's fields while she drove the cows through. At Sir Robert's invitation she accepted service at Drayton Manor. She remembered the Parliamentary contests between him and Sir Charles Townsend and used to tell how the mob pulled up the stones from the streets to riot with. She also saw the soldiers go down Tamworth Canal in boats for Waterloo. The second Sir Robert Peel, who became Prime Minister, she saw little of, as he had just entered Parliament, and was winning his Parliamentary spurs. While with the Peel family she saw London for the first time, but her recollections were confined to Piccadilly and St James' Park, and of seeing 'Tom and Jerry' played, which was then very popular. In 1825 she married Aaron Hildick of Coalpool, Staffordshire, whose family had been edge tool manufacturers there for a century and a half, having taken the trade from Sheffield. By this marriage she had four children, all of whom are living. She always enjoyed good health and had been free from serious illness, but a few years ago she suffered much from influenza, but resolutely refused all medicine, as she had taken none during her life. At 90 years of age she received her second sight, and was able to sew, and also to read the smallest print, without aid of spectacles.</div> <bR> <div> Writing last December on Mrs Hildick's 101st birthday, one of our representatives stated that with the exception of a slight deafness, which has overtaken her during the last year or two, Mrs Hildick has the use of all her faculties, and these she utilizes to the fullest extent. Her eyesight is better than enjoyed by some persons eighty years her junior, and as a proof, she proudly shows to visitors different shawls she has knitted without the aid of spectacles only a few months ago, and delicate book-marks which she has clipped into pretty shapes with scissors. A short time ago she made a large patch-work bed quilt, which is a model of neatness and skill. if her physical strength permitted she would still  ------- worker, for she detests idleness. In her younger days she was full of energy, not selfish energy, but energy which was exercised for the benefit of all who sought her assistance, and the hard work which she accomplished, instead of wearing her out seems to have had the reverse effect and to have given her a store of strength to keep her going in her old age. Even now she hastens to be of service in the house, but her relatives not daring to trust her necessarily feeble hands with work of any magnitude, humour her in small ways and allow her to perform unimportant duties, the accomplishment of which afford the centenarian the greatest pleasure. That she has full possession of her senses is evident when she plays a game at cards, a pastime, by the way, to which she is particularly attached, but woe to her opponent or partner who makes a bad lead or plays the wrong card for Mrs Hildick is all quickness and detects the smallest breach of the rules of the game.</div> <bR> <div> For a centenarian Mrs Hildick is an early riser. half-past eight o'clock each morning sees her dressed and downstairs, and she retires at night promptly at ten o'clock. Her habits are extremely systematic, and she is the very essence of regularity. To these two qualities those who know her well attribute her longevity. She has always been very temperate in all things, and has not, like many other old ladies, taken either to the habit of smoking or snuff taking. She still writes a legible hand, and can read without employing glasses. Of late she has not walked out so frequently as before. When she celebrated her centenary a year ago she rode in the 'bus' as far as Norwood Road, and then proceeded on foot to Crabtree, where one of her relatives resides, and this walk she often undertook. Now, however when she wishes to pay visits cabs are requisitioned and yesterday, instead of going abroad to receive congratulations, she remained at home and saw visitors. She is extremely fond of children and nothing delights her more than to see them about her.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> _______________________</div> <bR> <div> Published with the kind permission of Mr Brian Hildick.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></td></tr></table></body>