‘I would do it all again’: Women’s Land Army veteran celebrates 100th birthday at Northampton tearoom

London-born Women’s Land Army veteran Ivy Pack turned 100-years-old on Wednesday, October 5.

Ivy, who now lives in Kettering, has not yet received her letter from The King but, on Tuesday (October 25), she was treated to an afternoon tea at The Buttery Tearoom in Billing.

A three-tier stand containing a feast of sandwiches, scones and cakes topped with a lit ‘100’ candle was brought out as Ivy’s loved ones sang ‘Happy Birthday.’

Celebrating with Ivy was her granddaughter Danielle and friends, Donna and Shirley.

“Hip, hip…” Ivy said afterwards with a beaming smile.

“Hooray!” We all exclaimed.

Ivy told this newspaper: “I don’t feel 100. I am glad I reached that age though. I would happily do it all again.”

The 100-year-old was born in 1922 in Canning Town in London before she was evacuated to Kettering with her parents, two sisters and her brother during World War Two.

Ivy’s brother served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and he introduced her to a man called Frederick Pack. Ivy and Frederick wrote to each other for five-and-a-half years before they met in person and wed in 1945. They were married for 48 years before Frederick’s passing.

Ivy served in the Women’s Land Army (WLA) - often known as “land girls” - who made up Britain’s rural workforce during World War Two when male agricultural workers were conscripted into the army.

“My best days were in the Land Army,” Ivy said, “It was fun. We used to love being on the fields.”

“You loved to go out dancing, didn’t you? Doing the jitterbug, dancing with the Yanks. I bet you were a case-and-a-half, weren’t you?” Shirley said, laughing.

Ivy grinned and winked at us, which sent the table into a fit of laughter.

The WLA veteran has eight children, 12 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren with another on the way.

Ivy has owned a variety of pets and almost all of them were called Charlie. She currently has two tortoises called Emma and Charlie. Emma is 11-years-old and has belonged to Ivy since she was the size of a 50p coin. Charlie, on the other hand, is in his 90s - almost Ivy’s age.

With one of her daughters being an air hostess, Ivy is well-travelled. She has journeyed everywhere from the Dominican Republic to China. Danielle joyously recounted how, one time, a camel threw up all over her grandmother - poor Ivy.

Ivy likes Bingo, shopping in B&M and, according to Danielle, “a good knees up”.

Ivy is a huge fan of holiday festivities - particularly Halloween. Before the pandemic, she was known locally for her extravagant spooky displays.

Children from all over the neighbourhood would visit and she would put together 200 bags of sweets, which would all be gone by the end of the night.

Looking back on her 100 years, Ivy said: “I wouldn’t change a thing about my life. I wish my husband could have been around a bit longer. I have got good kids. We have had our ups and downs and we have always come out the other side.”