Cornwall artist still enjoying life as she turns 107

An artist from Cornwall who is celebrating her 107th birthday has said being yourself is the key to a happy life.

Mollie Silver, who was alive during both world wars and has seen five monarchs take the throne, is celebrating the occasion with a party involving friends and family at the Women’s Institute Hall in Constantine.

The mother-of-five took up art when she turned 60 after she completed a two-year course at Rugby College and has a gallery set up in her garage, where she still sells her paintings.

“I’m not sure how it’s happened, but I think that somehow I’ve forgotten to die,” she said.

Friends and family, including her daughter who has travelled in from Australia, were expected to celebrate her birthday alongside her.

Born in Staffordshire, Mollie has lived in Cornwall for more than 40 years.

“I was 60 when I came down here with my husband and we got this little bungalow and we’ve loved it ever since,” she said.

As she has gotten older and less able to leave the house, Mrs Silver said she tended to spend time thinking about when she was younger.

“They tell me I’m an old person and I have to go along with that,” she said.

“I’m frustrated because I can’t do the things I used to do, but I don’t feel like an old person.”

Mrs Silver said the key to leading a happy live was “being yourself, if you can”.

“You don’t have to pretend to be another person,” she said.

“I’ve always been happy it’s in my body to be happy and I’ve enjoyed my life.”

Her daughter, Penny Lees, who travelled from Australia, said of her mother: “She gets up in the morning and goes on Facebook and write emails, she does her painting.

“I think she’s pretty amazing, she’s still very much in life.”

Sally Martin, one of her friends, said she had an “amazing, can-do attitude” and she made the lives of those who know her richer.

“She doesn’t seem daunted by anything, especially technology and uses social media almost as much as me – and I’m 50 years younger than she is,” she said.

“She’s really interesting and fun to chat to but she’s also one of those people that’s genuinely interested in what’s happening in your life with your family and your friends.”