6:50am Thursday 29th July 2010
By Julian Robinson
SHE was a speedway champion, a cup-winning horse rider and was taught by a relative of one of the greatest Britons of all.
They are just some of the stories from the fascinating life of Caroline Sellex, who has celebrated her 100th birthday at her Hampshire care home.
Born in Hamble Lane in to a family of churchgoers, Caroline grew up in the village along with her twin Matilda.
Their grandfather was the Rev Williams Cramer Chevalier of St Edmunds Netley Abbey and her father Samuel Williams was a warden of Hamble Church.
Their mother was Brown Owl for Netley Brownies and organist for Hound Church for 50 years. But Hampshire was to be just one of the places Caroline called home over the next few decades. After being taught at home with her sister by the great niece of Horatio Nelson, Caroline would go on to marry John Sellex with whom she lived in Portugal and Brazil. In her youth she was a keen tennis player, a dressage cup winner and a speedway enthusiast. She raced with her sister in Southampton and later broke the record at Portsmouth speedway beating the lap record by 26 seconds in 1930. After her husband retired, she moved to Titchfield and on becoming a widow, went to live with her sister at Arnwood near her birthplace.
In 1992 the twins made their home at The Gables rest home in Netley before Matilda died ten years ago.
Friends, family and former carers helped celebrate Caroline’s birthday at the home, while the Mayor of Eastleigh John Caldwell and his wife presented her with a bouquet of flowers.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/trade_directory/