TLC Cuffley Manor Care Home is proud to celebrate her remarkable milestone this month as one of its cherished residents, Joan, turned 105 years old on 22 October 2025. Joan’s life is a remarkable story of love, resilience and unforgettable moments that span more than a century.
Joan was born in Hampstead Garden Suburb on 22 October 1920. After finishing school, she trained as a shorthand typist at Pitman’s College in North Finchley. During the 1960’s Joan worked as a secretary in the Divisional Office at Golders Green Police Station and having an extremely fast shorthand speed, was asked on many occasions to attend and take comprehensive notes, at various disciplinary hearings at Scotland Yard.
Joan has been married and widowed three times. Her first husband and father of her three daughters was Albert, her childhood sweetheart and literally the ‘boy next door’. He very sadly died suddenly in 1966 when Joan was two months away from her 46th birthday. 1O years later, she remarried, to Jo, a retired police Chief Inspector, who was at that time working for the Fraud Squad, investigating past unsolved cases. Several years after their marriage, Jo developed cancer and died a few years later leaving Joan bereft for the second time.
Life can take unexpected turns and fate changed her life once again in the mid 90’s when a lifelong friend of the family, Charlie Chester, asked her to marry him and they were subsequently married in the Crypt at Canterbury Cathedral. Charlie was a very well-known entertainer at that time having had his own TV shows on the BBC back in the 50’s and 60’s and currently had a weekly radio programme – Charlie Chester’s Soapbox – on Radio 2 every Sunday afternoon.
Charlie did a huge amount of charitable works and as he was also a ‘Past King Rat’ in the Grand Order of Water Rats and an MBE, Joan basked in his reflected fame, being invited to all sorts of events and functions! Very sadly, just a very few years after they were married, Charlie suffered a severe stroke and died two years later.
After a few years, Joan left their lovely home in Kent, and moved back to live in Barnet, and then Potters Bar where she lived for seven years.
Joan’s greatest pride in her life though was in her family, namely her three daughters, Lisa, Margo and Gwenda, who between them gave her 11 grandchildren, and 16 greatgrandchildren, with a new one due early next year!
Lisa and Margo had long careers in the theatre, Lisa appearing in many West End musicals and TV, and to Joan’s pride, played opposite Michael Crawford as his wife at the London Palladium in ‘Barnum’, and as ‘Maria’ with Michael Jayston and Honor Blackman in the ‘Sound of Music’ at the Apollo Victoria. Margo appeared in many plays and on TV and in films, and had great success as ‘Muriel’, the long-suffering sister of Ronnie Corbett’s character of Timothy in the BBC TV series, ‘Sorry’. Gwenda worked in stage management, also in the West End, and then moved to Cornwall to raise her family, three boys and daughter, Bethany.
Joan has had a long and eventful life, with many ups and downs but she always put her good health and stamina down to the fact that she walked everywhere as she never learned to drive a car!
Joan used to be an avid baker, baking birthday and Christmas cakes and literally hundreds of mince pies for friends and family at Christmas.
Alex, Home Manager of TLC Cuffley Mano, said: “Joan Chester’s life and career are a true inspiration to everyone at TLC Cuffley Manor Care Home. Her warmth, wisdom and kindness touch the hearts of all who know her. Joan’s story is a true inspiration for me and for everyone here. Her smile each morning brightens my day and I feel truly honoured to know such a remarkable lady. Happy 105th Birthday, Joan!”
We were delighted that our Mayor, Councillor Alpha Collins, made the time to join us at TLC Cuffley Manor to mark this occasion with Joan.
Councillor Alpha Collins said: “I’ve been to many care homes, however I have never been as impressed as I am with Cuffley Manor. The team do a great job, the residents look genuinely happy and well-looked after and the team are extremely kind – everyone was smiling. It was an honour to visit – thank you to the team at Cuffley Manor. It was a great pleasure to celebrate with Joan on this wonderful day. She is a remarkable lady!”
From all of us here at TLC Cuffley Manor Care Home, we wish Joan a very Happy 105th Birthday!
Joan’s story was also highlighted in Barnet Borough Times, a local news source, part of the Times Series newspapers, that covers news, sport, and events in the London Borough of Barnet and surrounding areas like Edgware, Mill Hill, Hendon, Golders Green, Finchley, and Potters Bar.
You can read it more here.
