By Christine de Kock
AGE has not dimmed the sparkle in Ada Jones’ eye.
The long-time Western Bulldogs supporter and Yarraville resident celebrates her 100th birthday today (10 October).
Mrs Jones’ daughter Dawn Hands said her mother always said she would live until she turned 100.
“She’s waiting for her telegram from the Queen,” Mrs Hands laughed.
Mrs Jones admires the Queen – although she is quick to state that she does not follow the gossip magazines.
A patriotic woman Mrs Jones flies the Australian flag, outside her Yarraville residence.
Mrs Jones’ son-in-law John Hands said people were always surprised when they found out Mrs Jones’ age.
“She’s in good health and would be a 100 per cent if her hearing was all right,” he said.
Mrs Jones has lived with her daughter Dawn and son-in-law for the past eight years.
Before that she lived in Byron St, Footscray, in the house in which she was born.
Mrs Jones says she’s lived a quiet life except for her involvement with the Western Bulldogs.
“I like everything about them,” she says with a big smile.
Mrs Hands said her mother was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when the Western Bulldog’s won the 1954 premiership and later went to the town hall to see the players presented.
“A friend asked the premiership captain- coach Charlie Sutton to sign her birthday invitation,” Mrs Hands said.
The 100th birthday invitation is now sitting in pride of place on the family wall unit with Sutton’s signature.
Mrs Jones has a strong connection to the City of Maribyrnong.
She attended Footscray’s Geelong Road State School, met her husband (who is now dead) at the dances held at Footscray Park in the late 1920s and worked as a cutter at a Footscray knitting mill during the war.
Her father Henry Faux taught local children to swim in the Maribyrnong River and later taught them at the Footscray Swimming Pool in Buckley St, which has since closed.
“My father was able to teach hundreds of children to swim but he couldn’t teach me,” Mrs Jones remembers.
Mrs Jones has one daughter, two grand-children Greg Hands (now deceased) and Rob Hands, and two great-grandsons Peter, 24, and Adam, 22.
Mrs Jones birthday celebrations will be held at her beloved Whitten Oval.
