SOLIHULL’S Queen of cakes Edna Cartwright has celebrated her 104th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
Born in Grimsby on May 24 1922, Edna was an only child. When she was two years old the family moved to Moseley in Birmingham as her father got a position with Winson Green Coal yard which supplied coal all around the country.
Edna attended a school in Moseley and then when she was seven she left to live in Perry Bar where they bought a house and Edna attended Birchfield Junior and Senior School.
After leaving school she worked in C & A.
Edna said she has many memories of the war, her father wouldn’t allow her to join the forces and as she didn’t fancy working in a factory so, she opted for being a conductress on the busses.
She loved it, meeting so many people and she remembers the bus having to fly back to the depot during ‘lights out’ as the air raid went off and then the bombing would start, although not so badly as in Coventry.
Edna met her husband Harry Cartwright during the war, as he was in the Navy. They got married at Birmingham Registry office in 1945.
After the war, Edna worked at the BSA factory in stock control and also at Rackham’s department store, now rebranded House of Fraser.
Then in 1962 they moved to Solihull and lived there since.
Edna and Harry went on to have three children, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Edna’s hobbies include being ‘Queen of Cakes’.
Her daughter Laraine Biddle said: “There were always home made cakes, biscuits and puddings for us all.
“She loves jazz music, and gardening and is still reading at 104.”
And the secret to getting to 104? Edna said: “I am interested in everything, eat what I like in moderation and am a Lincolnshire lass!”
