Suffolk born and bred, Joan Kersey has recently celebrated reaching the age of 108-years-old.

Born in Ipswich on February 28, 1915, she still lives in the house her dad, Henry Ernest Kersey, built in Tattingstone in the early 1920s. He also built the bungalow next door.

 

Ipswich Star: Joan with some flowers she received for her birthday. Credit: Charlotte BondJoan with some flowers she received for her birthday. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

In fact, she has lived there her entire life and, until relatively recently, without any help.

Celebrating her birthday, she said: "I don't feel any different at 108.

"It feels good though, I have lived a wonderful and quite exciting life."

Ipswich Star: Joan with her friend Vicky (middle) and carer Pet (left). Credit: Charlotte BondJoan with her friend Vicky (middle) and carer Pet (left). Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

She grew up in Ipswich and attended Ipswich High School from the age of four until she left at the age of 18 after completing Sixth Form. Among her recollections is sharing a horse cab with a French mistress to school.

She loved her time at school where she was a very good student, excelling in nature study, maths and sport with fond memories of playing hockey.

She then moved to London where she attended Miss Ransomes College for girls for two years.

Ipswich Star: The birthday cards she has received from the Royals, from 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Credit: Charlotte BondThe birthday cards she has received from the Royals, from 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

This is where she met lifelong friends, Monica, Delia and Yvonne.

In 1939, during the Second World War, she helped out at her father's opticians business in Ipswich and Diss.

She remembers Doodlebugs (planes that had no pilot and acted as a bomb) flying overhead during that time.

Ipswich Star: Joan with her birthday cake she received from Ipswich High School, and the card from the King and Queen Consort. Credit: Charlotte BondJoan with her birthday cake she received from Ipswich High School, and the card from the King and Queen Consort. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

She worked as a secretary most her life and enjoyed being involved in the local community.

She attends church in the village where she was a churchwarden and, remembers when she was younger, how her family used to host village and summer parties on their large garden.

As a member of the church, she was chosen to receive the Royal Maundy money from Queen Elizabeth at St Edmundsbury Cathedral.

Her parents passed away in 1948 when they were in their 70s, which is when Joan started travelling around the world.

She has visited many countries with New Zealand and Thailand particularly memorable destinations.

Ipswich Star: Joan looking through archived material at Ipswich High School trying to spot herself. Credit: Ipswich High SchoolJoan looking through archived material at Ipswich High School trying to spot herself. Credit: Ipswich High School (Image: Ipswich High School)

A trip to Norway when she travelled to the very north of the country remains a highlight and she remembers her visit creating quite a stir. Norway wasn't a common tourism destination 50 years ago.

She has continued travel since her 90s enjoying many holidays to  Brittany, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Wight among other destinations.

To this day, she remains fit and alert, exercising daily until very recently.

Ipswich Star: Students at Ipswich High School were able to talk to Joan about her life and time at Ipswich High School. Credit: Ipswich High SchoolStudents at Ipswich High School were able to talk to Joan about her life and time at Ipswich High School. Credit: Ipswich High School (Image: Ipswich High School)

As part of her birthday celebrations, she had a party with 16 of her closest friends.

She was also invited back to Ipswich High School, now at Woolverstone Hall, to share memories of her school days with members of the senior leadership team and head students from both the Prep and Senior School.

The school presented a special cake to Joan, which featured the school's old emblem with a picture of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom.

On returning to her former school which she attended between 1920 and 1933 when it was an all-girl school, Joan said: "It was lovely to go back.

"I didn't recognise anyone from my time there though."

Ipswich Star: Joan receiving her birthday cake from Mr Dan Browning, head at Ipswich School. Credit: Ipswich High SchoolJoan receiving her birthday cake from Mr Dan Browning, head at Ipswich School. Credit: Ipswich High School (Image: Ipswich High School)

Ipswich Star: The cake she received which features the old Ipswich High School logo. Credit: Charlotte BondThe cake she received which features the old Ipswich High School logo. Credit: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)