A former housekeeper to the Dukes of Westminster celebrated her 100th birthday with the Grosvenor family and fellow villagers – while listening out for a phone call from Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell!
But Noreen Murphy, who lives in Aldford but originally hails from Lismore, County Waterford, was upset daughter Maureen Patricia couldn’t visit from County Durham due to lockdown.
And Noreen, who retired as housekeeper aged 70 back in 1990, referenced the North East when she expressed displeasure at the antics of Government adviser Dominic Cummings.
“I would have liked my daughter with me here today and I see other people can go up to Durham and come back again and get nothing done to them. And if she did that there’d be uproar and they’d be after me! She couldn’t come in to the house. She could just come to the gate so I’m very upset over it. You’re only 100 once and she couldn’t be with her mother.”
But she did take a call from her daughter who also relayed a message from grandson Patrick, who lives in the Cayman Islands.
That was aside from plenty of visitors.
The seventh Duke of Westminster Hugh, his youngest sister Lady Viola and their mum Natalia, the Duchess of Westminster, even popped down for a socially-distanced birthday visit.
Noreen, who arrived from Ireland in 1947, explained her background: “I came over with Bend ‘Or Duke, the second duke and I went from one family to the other up until the late duke. That was the last one and then the young duke was born just then.
“He was here this morning with his mother and the youngest daughter Lady Viola. They were throwing kisses at me. He wrote a letter addressed to me about the way I looked after all of them and his dad when he was young.”
She described the Grosvenor family as ‘very nice’.
“They’ve always been very nice, the whole lot of them,” commented Noreen, who recalled looking after the second duke’s wife, the late Anne, Duchess of Westminster, owner of famous racehorse Arkle.
Her family is close friends with Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell who used to lodge with her sister when he was a young performer and couldn’t afford a hotel. He had apparently been enquiring as to the exact date of Noreen’s birthday so he could ring her on the day.
Last by no means least were the villagers of Aldford who brought cake, cards and sang happy birthday from over the hedge. Derek Weaver, whose wife used to work alongside Noreen, rang the parish church bell 100 times.
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Noreen, who is in good health and keeps her house and garden in immaculate condition, said: “Aldford is a wonderful place, always has been. In all my years over here, since ‘47, I’ve loved Aldford and the people. They’re so generous and friendly and they’re great fun.”
One of seven children, Noreen was due to have gone back to Ireland for a family party had it not been for lockdown. Two of her sisters are still alive.
As to her secret for a long life, she quipped: “I like a gin and tonic and a glass of Champagne so I’ve got plenty of bottles of Champagne! Thank you, Judith.”
