Mary Bateman, 'a pillar of the community' in Batley, celebrates 100th birthday

Mary Bateman marked the occasion at Lydgate Lodge care home, Batley, alongside son David Bateman and his wife, on Monday, February 28.

David explained how his mother is suffering with Alzheimer’s and dementia but is “just about aware” that she has turned 100.

David added: “I always knew she would get to 100 because physically she is as strong as an ox.

“For a person her age she is very healthy and always has been - up until six years ago when her dementia started.”

Mary grew up in Batley, where she has spent all of her life, after being born on Bond Street in 1922.

She attended Batley Parish Junior School, where she developed a passion for playing the piano and went onto play for the Batley Orchestral Society for 40 years.

Mary’s working life started at the Co-op in Batley before she went to join the Post Office.

She then attended the training school at Otley in 1941, being one of the few women who learnt how to be a Post Office engineer.

During World War II she went all over Batley and the surrounding areas, checking telephone exchanges.

When the war ended she then became a telephonist at Batley Telephone Exchange, where she worked for ten years.

David said his mum has had a “very interesting life”.

He said: “I am her only son, and the only family she has now.

Mary married David’s father in 1948. Two years later David was born in 1950 when Mary was 28-years-old.

As well as marrying at Batley Parish Church, Mary was also on the church council for many years.

David added: “The joke was that my mother was like the rain on the Tower of London - when she left the church, it would fall down.”

Mary was also devoted to the community and helped found and run the Old People’s Centre, which used to be located on Commercial Street, Batley.

Mary founded this group because it was realised by herself, and the then former Mayor, that there was nothing for the old people of the town to do.

For some years Mary’s official title was chairman of the Old People’s Welfare Committee.

David said: “A lot of what she did went unnoticed. She was responsible for the upkeep, the accounts, everything, and it flourished.

“They really appreciated it and I know that for a fact.”

David said that his mother was the “pillar of the community” throughout her years at the Post Office, the orchestra, the church and the old people’s centre.