Jean marks 80 years living in same home

Jean Fisher

Miss Fisher was born in Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary on January 22, 1924, and her parents brought her back home to Radcliffe Road, off Iffley Road.

For a variety of reasons, she never left. She did not have any brothers or sisters, and when her mother Hilda and father Harry died in 1979 and 1980, she inherited the three-bedroom former council house.

The retired dressmaker said: "I have lived here all my life, and the house is filled with so many memories.

"When I was a child, we used to play with hoops out in the street and there would be games of skipping and hopskotch.

"All that has changed now because of the traffic and I don't think there is such a strong sense of community."

"There are more and more houses to let and people don't know their neighbours like they used to.

"But I've got a good network of friends who keep in touch with me and I still get out every day. And I love watching the soaps on TV."

There have been few major problems with the house, although flooding ruined carpets in the kitchen annexe a few years ago.

Miss Fisher walks, or drives her 1970 Morris 1100, which she says is "young at heart" like her. She never married, and blames the Second World War.

"I had lots of boyfriends, but experienced disappointments," she said.

"When war broke out, my first boyfriend joined the RAF and that was the end of it.

"It was a difficult time because I was aged between 15 and 21. If it hadn't been for the war, my life could have been very different."

Miss Fisher was celebrating today with a party at The Longwall Beafeater at Oxford Business Park in Cowley.

Bill Baker, city councillor for Iffley Fields, said: "I have helped Jean out on a few occasions. She's a lovely lady.

"I used to go past her house as a five-year-old when I went to Donnington School. She's a great neighbour and it's amazing to think that she has lived in the same house for so many years."

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