100-year-old Newport woman shares her lifetime's memories with Pure West Radio
Kath Jones sits back in her chair and turns her eyes directly towards mine.
"I think a lot about having reached this age, and I put it down to the fact that I'm a very nosy person who has never stopped being curious," she told Pure West Radio's Sarahjane Absalom. "I keep asking questions about everything, and it's all down to the importance of wanting to know why."
A few days before Pure West Radio visited Kath at her home in Newport in Pembrokeshire, she was surrounded by family and friends who joined her in celebrating her hundredth birthday.
"I just sat here like a queen throughout the entire day, and it was wonderful," she laughs.
Born in Yorkshire in 1924, Kath's childhood was simple and totally devoid of all the electronic devices that children of the 21st century are accustomed Her family didn't have a car, so all of Kath's jaunts were courtesy of her best friend Betty, whose father worked in the local garage.
"It was so primitive when you think about it, as we were just throwing a ball against the wall all day long. It was just messing about, really.
"But these days everyone has mobile phones, even very young little children, so in some ways a lot of the real quality of life is being lost."
Kath was first introduced to broadcasting in 1953 when her parents bought their first radio so that they could listen to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
After passing her 11+ exam, she entered Heckmondwike Grammar School in West Yorkshire, which was then ranked as the second best in the UK.
"I'm very proud of my grammar school days, as they opened up my mind to so very much, and paved the way forward to go on to Leeds University. And life at university was wonderful because there were no boys there, because this was all happening during the Second World War."
Kath graduated in 1942 with a degree in history, but six years later she made the brave decision to leave her home in Yorkshire for Wales.
"I remember travelling down to Ceredigion by train, wondering where the dickens I was going to," she continues.
"The train stopped half way between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth because it had forgotten to pick someone up, so we had to go all the way back," she recalls. " It was getting quite lunatic, to be honest."
The same year, Kath sat her driving test, when the sole vehicle she passed was a horse and cart.
"The day I took my test, there was absolutely nothing else on the roads apart from a horse and cart. I thought, 'God help us all', as I was driving a grubby old Ford which my brother had sold to me for £50. But I managed to pass first time."
After working for former Cardiganshire District Council as a researcher for the Town and Country Planning Act, Kath moved to Pembrokeshire where she began teaching French, History and Latin at Haverfordwest Boys' Grammar School, before moving on to Milford Haven Secondary Modern, and finally Bush School in Pembroke.
"The only thing I really regret in my life is not going to computer classes when they started doing them at Bush School soon after I joined the staff. As a result, in many ways I'm the Neanderthal of the family.
"But I still read the papers, I still do the Daily Telegraph crossword every day and I keep on asking questions about everything that's happening around me.
"And at the end of the day, I'm truly blessed to be enjoying my life in God's own county."
To hear the interview in full between Kath Jones and Pure West Radio's news director, Sarahjane Absalom, tune in to the 'Gina and Tom Breakfast Show' tomorrow morning (Tuesday, August 20), between 7am and 8am.
100-year-old Newport woman shares her lifetime's memories with Pure West Radio
Kath Jones sits back in her chair and turns her eyes directly towards mine.
"I think a lot about having reached this age, and I put it down to the fact that I'm a very nosy person who has never stopped being curious," she told Pure West Radio's Sarahjane Absalom. "I keep asking questions about everything, and it's all down to the importance of wanting to know why."
A few days before Pure West Radio visited Kath at her home in Newport in Pembrokeshire, she was surrounded by family and friends who joined her in celebrating her hundredth birthday.
"I just sat here like a queen throughout the entire day, and it was wonderful," she laughs.
Born in Yorkshire in 1924, Kath's childhood was simple and totally devoid of all the electronic devices that children of the 21st century are accustomed Her family didn't have a car, so all of Kath's jaunts were courtesy of her best friend Betty, whose father worked in the local garage.
"It was so primitive when you think about it, as we were just throwing a ball against the wall all day long. It was just messing about, really.
"But these days everyone has mobile phones, even very young little children, so in some ways a lot of the real quality of life is being lost."
Kath was first introduced to broadcasting in 1953 when her parents bought their first radio so that they could listen to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
After passing her 11+ exam, she entered Heckmondwike Grammar School in West Yorkshire, which was then ranked as the second best in the UK.
"I'm very proud of my grammar school days, as they opened up my mind to so very much, and paved the way forward to go on to Leeds University. And life at university was wonderful because there were no boys there, because this was all happening during the Second World War."
Kath graduated in 1942 with a degree in history, but six years later she made the brave decision to leave her home in Yorkshire for Wales.
"I remember travelling down to Ceredigion by train, wondering where the dickens I was going to," she continues.
"The train stopped half way between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth because it had forgotten to pick someone up, so we had to go all the way back," she recalls. " It was getting quite lunatic, to be honest."
The same year, Kath sat her driving test, when the sole vehicle she passed was a horse and cart.
"The day I took my test, there was absolutely nothing else on the roads apart from a horse and cart. I thought, 'God help us all', as I was driving a grubby old Ford which my brother had sold to me for £50. But I managed to pass first time."
After working for former Cardiganshire District Council as a researcher for the Town and Country Planning Act, Kath moved to Pembrokeshire where she began teaching French, History and Latin at Haverfordwest Boys' Grammar School, before moving on to Milford Haven Secondary Modern, and finally Bush School in Pembroke.
"The only thing I really regret in my life is not going to computer classes when they started doing them at Bush School soon after I joined the staff. As a result, in many ways I'm the Neanderthal of the family.
"But I still read the papers, I still do the Daily Telegraph crossword every day and I keep on asking questions about everything that's happening around me.
"And at the end of the day, I'm truly blessed to be enjoying my life in God's own county."
To hear the interview in full between Kath Jones and Pure West Radio's news director, Sarahjane Absalom, tune in to the 'Gina and Tom Breakfast Show' tomorrow morning (Tuesday, August 20), between 7am and 8am.