A GOOD wife is the key to a long life.

At least that is according to James Liesnham, who has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Mr Liesnham, who lives at the Grange Nursing Home in Hedge End, marked the milestone with numerous birthday cards, including a special one from the Queen.

This had added significance for him, having once met her during his four-decade career at Ordnance Survey.

Born in Edinburgh, Mr Liesnham started working for the company in Scotland in surveying, but moved down to Southampton because of his job.

He worked for 42 years at the company’s headquarters in Southampton as a divisional officer in charge of map reproduction, retiring in 1976.

It was when the Queen came to open the new Ordnance Survey building at Maybush in the 1960s that he gave her a tour of his department.

After his move south, the grandfather-of-two met future wife Ella through his role as a lay preacher for Above Bar Church in Southampton, which sent him to help at other churches in the area.

One such church was in Lockerley, where he met parishioner Ella, who he married in 1939. The couple moved to Testwood and had son Ian.

During the Second World War Mr Liesnham tried four times to get released from his job to serve in the war but because map-reading was considered vital to the war effort, he was not allowed.

When Ella died in 1994, Mr Liesnham went on to live with his son Ian for 20 years, first in Chandler’s Ford and then in Romsey.

His family are planning celebrations later this week.

Ian, 69, from Romsey, said: “You wouldn’t think he was 100, you would think he’s probably in his late 80s.

“What does he attribute his longevity to? He would say having a good wife.

“He’s taken care of himself in terms of eating properly and taking a bit of exercise, he’s just led a sensible life.”