She was born in the year Lenin died and John Logie Baird demonstrated a primitive version of what became known as television.
Now Southampton-born Sylvia Summers has celebrated her 100th birthday, 85 years after she survived a brush with diphtheria - once the most feared of all childhood diseases.
Relatives gathered at the New Forest Hotel in Ashurst to reflect on her long life and all the changes she has seen.
Sylvia and her six siblings lived at Laundry Road in Shirley Warren. She left school as soon as could and worked in a pub before landing a job at Pirelli's Southampton factory, where she helped make deep sea cables.
She and her husband Jack were married on June 4 1944 while Jack was on leave from the navy.
Having seen her two daughters get married and have children of their own, she is now part of a five generation family.
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