Living in a tower block | Living in Victorian Times | Pensioner | Report | 1971

[@caz7363]

What a sweet lady with a great attitude ❤️

[@charliepearce8767]

Owww Arrrr, lovely she is !

[@thomasbjurstrom6480]

What a feisty lovely lady!

[@markjinks2598]

Hearing this wonderful lady makes me realise how soft I’ve become ,

[@starquant]

Compared to what... going to prison because you were poor ?.

[@HenryGray7401]

humility and gracefulness

[@j0nnyism]

God that generation had it hard. Two world wars the Great Depression and wages only started to go up when they retired. Huge respect to my great grandparents. They made the peaceful Europe we live in. Their greatest gift to us

[@EssexWolf1993]

Don’t forget the Spanish Flu pandemic from 1918-1920.

[@dontstart8440]

They would be turning in their graves if they saw what the EU have done with open borders. Europe is totally destroyed

[@rebootthematrix]

@@EssexWolf1993 and that was about as real covid lol 😂

[@taniaearle4457]

Exactly ❤️

[@shazkh7753]

Lmao colonisednthe entire planet and we must feel sorry for you

[@nixmoretta13]

This was an age that has long evaporated, and extinguished like the clover this wonderful lady discusses. I was born three months after this aired, and whilst I was raised in a northern mill town with back-street alleys and outside lavvies - it was nothing compared to the abject depravation this lady experienced in the Victorian slums. Makes us so grateful for running water, and flushing toilets, and yet people today cannot even cook their own dinner, even though their fridges are full.

[@Horton094]

The spark that woman has is admirable

[@dnstone1127]

Going from the Victorian workhouse to a modern flat with electricity and hot water is bigger difference than moving from a council flat to Buckingham palace

[@PeteS_1994]

How would we know? It is a big difference though.

[@bmc9504]

The lady would have had more opportunities than the Queen believe it or not.

[@mrcostelloe5802]

Victorian terraced houses werent the mae west... damp from lack of damp proofing, no central heating. Shared wc out the back etc...

[@sylviasimpson3280]

@@mrcostelloe5802 I remember Icicles inside my bedroom window, my Mum had to dry clothes on a line in the house. But we were bloody well fed and She cooked all day for my Daddy coming home from the Mine. I could have a bath 2 inches cause my Dad had to have his and absolutely right, then My Wonderful Mother had to wash his Pit Clothes and dry them on a boiler. My Daddy in 48 years never complained, he hD a garden and did decorating our home after a 12hr shift. No Computer, No TV in my bedroom. I ended up as an Naval Officer. Retired and Honoured. Thank you all and to all a goodnight. 🇬🇧🇫🇴🇬🇧🇫🇴🇬🇧

[@paolamura3497]

@@sylviasimpson3280 my heart goes out to you.

[@starlws]

What a great woman.

[@JVONROCK]

Find Time. If you see someone old an alone, say Hello. Life’s short.

[@nellybranth]

I've always loved old people. If you help them they so grateful.

[@npur200]

True

[@user-qg1jb8rw8e]

@@nellybranth eversince I can remember I had and have always preferred the company of our elders as they have so much to share and many life teachings.💗

[@digitalmediafan]

Do more then say hello, they need company. No one should be on their own 24/7 unfortunately this is often the case

[@user-qg1jb8rw8e]

In all honesty in modern times of this millennium loneliness is not just reserved for our elders/ teachers but has also deeply affected to many whom are down to many generations younger.

[@Luci.589]

Filmed in 1971 and born in 1882, that makes her 89 years old. I hope someone celebrated her 90th with her 😢

[@starquant]

Doubtful. Women are rarely celebrated.

[@Superfreaky2]

The amount of people watching her now who would love to sit and talk to her and give her company would overwhelm her. Bless her, what an hardworking woman, i’m glad she was happy with her little flat.

[@secondhandrose6214]

I was thinking the same dear, the very same.

[@theblissfullone]

Excellent thought, I would be one of those people to sit, talk and listen. Rare a joy I loved so much as a child, to sit and go through my grandparent's picture albums .. the old black ones, where the pictures were held in place with corner tabs of sorts. I remember the faces, names and stories ... they brought such a special feeling to see.

[@ltipst2962]

@@theblissfullone Makes you wonder what they'll say when we are... yano.

[@theblissfullone]

@@ltipst2962 Yes, that's for sure.

[@maude5160]

What a darling character, happy with her lot. Wish I could have helped her.

[@borisblade564]

A Dignified woman who is grateful for what she has and the reality of what she had prior to this which was absolutely nothing!!...People like her and that attitude are a distant memory these days

[@wildplumbeauty]

@boris blade So true. Makes me count my blessings. I am in awe of these people from the distant past.

[@annem9195]

boris blade they’re a different breed, strong & dignified. No whinging, content with her life & what she’s made of it. Luv ‘em!

[@cableguy786]

Brilliant lady, so wise

[@irishcountrygirl78]

@@annem9195 yes! when you walk in their shoes you are grateful. We came home to Ireland in '83 to my grandmothers and we lived as she did out in the sticks until my parents got a house, an out house toilet and no running water. Creamery cans of water taken from the lake to drink and wash dishes and washed our hair in freezing water with our mum holding us off a wooden jetty. To say we had gratitude when we moved into a house of our own would be an understatement. These old people were as tough as they come.

[@gggggggggggggggggg161]

Suuure then everybody was great and now everybody's an arse. Everyone is the same in one time period because personality only depends on the time of birth. Please reflect your nonsense before inflicting it on the world ;)

[@trudesquires1089]

Precious, Precious lady xxx so humbling to watch this xx

[@xr6lad]

To put this woman’s age into perspective; she was nearly 20 when Queen Victoria died, lived in the age of Sherlock Holmes (1880’s) and was 30 when the Titanic sank.

[@Miniver765]

She would also have been a girl of about 7 years of age when Jack the Ripper was terrorizing the East End of London.

[@miscellaneousstuff1155]

I’m pretty sure she said she was 89 years old so she would have been about 18 at the turn of the century.

[@JackKlumpass]

She was born in either 1881 or 1882 as she said it was her 89th birthday on Xmas day - programme went out in 1971 and there was snow on the ground outside, so not clear clear whether she was 89 on Xmas day 1970 or whether this went out a few days after Xmas day 1971. Either way, this old bird was a blinder🏆♥️

[@shingitai5882]

@@heatherceridwen160This is a British working class slang adjective, which means something that is brilliant i.e. something or someone who shines.

[@annamae859]

@Heather Ceridwen no she said Christmas after she told her accident when she was 89 so she might have been a little bit older when she recorded this.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

If ever I'm feeling sorry for myself I think I should watch this; such stoicism is rare.

[@andrewf4623]

Kat Sew stfu

[@julianrolheiser6061]

Kat Sew shut up

[@robinanna5531]

I work in a deprived area, I see this stoicism every day. It's humbling.

[@Mcfads999]

Exactly what i thought!

[@sheepketchup9059]

@EastEndery Snowflake DESTROYED!!!! 🤣🤣🤑🤪😭

[@joshuataylor6087]

She's tough. I love how she takes pride in her self-reliance.

[@kjsbadfkjlasbdg]

She was, I doubt she's around anymore.

[@jackwalker8424]

@@kjsbadfkjlasbdg She would have probably passed away in the 70s.

[@JulianOrchardfan]

@@jackwalker8424 I thought the same Jack, doubt she saw the decade out bless her heart

[@nickyjones2709]

She didn't really have a choice

[@goodnightmyprince6734]

​@@kjsbadfkjlasbdgshe she's been dead half a century ago

[@pinkpastelhearts]

me and my mom are like this lady, im nearly 40 and my mom was 58 (she passed away in january this year) we didnt mind living alone with our cats at least we enjoyed our peace and quiet and got to do our hobbies, pay our bills, get groceries, kept up with the house, we didnt care much for company visiting cause we just liked being by ourselves. im happy that woman got to get a apartment of her own, got to have a wonderful bath in a actual bathtub, and just loved her own company, nothing wrong with that, that's basically being independent.

[@stephaniemerlin1]

❤

[@olavwilhelm6843]

don't you have to work ??

[@daveericson8447]

​@@olavwilhelm6843 only fools work

[@richsiwes]

👍🏼👀✨

[@garystefan8550]

My grandmother is 93, as a child she had no electricity, running water or shoes. She lives in a flat now and is contented with it

[@jgallardo7344]

I was told many residents in London still didn’t have running water after WWII. People took baths in a metal tub. Would they have had to draw bath water from downstairs and bring it up?

[@jackkiernan5950]

My grandmother is 94 and she had the same upbringing no shoes or electric and they appreciated everything went through 2 world wars and still got through I miss this generation of people everything was great about them. 🙏🌟♥️

[@acommentator4452]

​@jgallardo7344 I never heard of people in London not having running water after the second World War. Most had a tap from the mains so cold water only. Some had geysers over the sink which could provide hot water. Or it had to be boiled. Many did not have a plumbed in bath. Many had outside toilet often shared. Some toilets were at the end of the garden or yard and if you lived at the top of the house it was a long way down 3 or 4 floors in freezing weather. And that's if the water in the cistern hadn't frozen. There was often a shared cooker on the turn of the stairs and people used paraffin heaters which could get knocked over. Very dangerous. People did not take atin bath upstairs. If they used one it would be stood where it was filled eg in a scullery. It was easier to go to a public wash house. There you could bathe and do laundry for a small sum. Sometimes they were attached to swimming pools. The last one in kentish town London only closed just before Y2K. The borough bought a few domestic washing machines for the handful of regular users. They already had bathrooms by then. I can remember much of this if you have any more questions. It is vivid to me. Regards.

[@Ben-rm3uc]

@ the lady who lived in my house in east of England who died in 1997 never had a bathroom installed. Just an outside toilet. The tin bath was filled with water heated on the fire on the kitchen range.Then the bath once a week was taken directly in front of the kitchen fire. Washing upstairs was just with a jug and bowel of cold water. This was normal for millions until the 1960s with few rural areas like mine carrying on this way till later.

[@azillliasmith2734]

My nana and Granda in Sunderland had no inside toilet and a water tap "down the yard" we used to bring water in an enamel bucket into the kitchenette when we were kids that was in 1971....they had a tin bath stored hanging on a nail? in the yard that was filled from the range in the back kitchen come dining room .....when they got older they went round to my aunties house (the nearest daughter to have a bath).... the brick terrace cottage was always clean and warm....my Mam lived there with her two sisters until they got got married and left home.....

[@chrismullan7191]

This lady was 89 and is happy in her own little home, did not asked for much, comes from a time when people had little, you can see she has made this home her own little paradise, had pride and made the best of what she had. Such a wonderful vid to see, thank you.

[@squiresquiffy3728]

What a great lady. We can learn a lot from her generation.

[@josephdockemeyer4807]

@@lopezdecastilla Or, somebody will say "she's white, I'm glad she's dead". Sad, sad world with people who bring nothing but bad tidings. 🇺🇸

[@unlokia]

@@lopezdecastilla Bollocks to them.

[@barbarastepien-foad4519]

@@lopezdecastilla yes because they have too much, never had a hard life to contend with,

[@liyanibernier5720]

Efraín Fernando López De Castilla Achata you say the exact same thing I keep saying it’s a world full of highly offended people it’s a world that you have to watch what you say crazy

[@squiresquiffy3728]

Liyani Bernier we live in the West, in an age where statements of common sense of wisdom known down the ages are now considered blasphemous and the offender subject to ostracism and public humiliation. The so called education system brain washes our children into believing politically correct lies with the intention of destroying everything our ancestors betrothed us.

[@DarkAutumn3D]

I'm 37 and I've been saying it for years.. People these days are weak. They have no fortitude, strength, civility or morality. People bully eachother, make eachother miserable, make others lives a living Hell. People have it so easy these days. Technology and social media has made us weak. I didn't have a great life growing up, my family was poor, we didn't get fancy toys at Christmas but we were grateful for what we got as we knew its all our parents could afford. That life made me who I am.. It made me strong willed, it made me see the world for what it really is, it made me stand up to those who go around treating others like garbage. I'd not change it.

[@charliepearce8767]

Fancy toys for Xmas ? Oww arrr, we were to poor for fancy toys. My mom would cut holes in in my pocket just so I had something to play with. Fancy kids had a hole cut in both pockets they did. Both pockets ! Nobody listens, nobody. What ? Pop would tie a sausage around me neck and call the dog in just so I had someone to play with back then, Owww Arrr, they were hard times they were but we were aappy. Aappy we were !

[@samantha4130]

Well said.

[@Johnboyggh]

Hard times create tough people.. that’s why everyone so soft these days.

[@charliepearce8767]

@@Johnboyggh Many don't appreciate the services and comforts of life.

[@bwabymafia]

I really miss these kinds of people, with fascinating life stories 😢

[@ltipst2962]

I needed this and I'm very grateful

[@jessiem276]

I'm an American, but I can remember, vividly..visiting two elderly ladies when I was about ten, to fifteen years of age. Their homes were kept perfectly clean...even though one was legally blind. Both ladies kept their old pictures in trunks. I would ask them about their families and they loved talking about them, but I never saw them visiting. Anyway, I saw a picture of both..when they were very young and they were beautiful. While I was holding one of the lady's beautiful pictures, she had a far away look in her eyes and told me how her husband always loved watching her sitting at her dresser...brushing her hair at night. I felt like crying. The antique dresser was sitting in the same spot...with the same silver handled hair brush on top...no telling how many times she had used that brush. Her husband had bought her the brush and a silver handled hand mirror to match. Their homes looked like "Victorian" homes...on the outside and the inside. It was like stepping back in time. I will never, ever forget those two sweet ladies. This was in a small town..in South Carolina. They were the epitome of style, humility & grace...two "Southern Belles". People seem to forget...that we were all very young once...for a brief & shining moment 💙

[@nigelthornberry96]

Lovely

[@claraclown8036]

Thanks for sharing! Great story! Wish there was pics of their house! Or a book! Beautiful!

[@evilazulan]

Gorgeous. Thank you for sharing xxx

[@okaminess]

What year was that?

[@1220b]

Beautiful put. They were you for a short while. ...

[@jonsmum5552]

My granny was very like this lady, I remember a few years after my grandad passed away. I asked my granny if she ever thought of getting herself another man, she laughed and said no thanks, I’m no picking up his dirty pants to wash, and listening to another man moan all the time. She said I might live alone, but I am not lonely. I miss her so much, she always made me laugh, even when things were going wrong in her life, she always said if you’ve got food on the table and a warm house, you’re a millionaire!

[@greekgod5193]

👌

[@pas6862]

She sounded wonderful!

[@aprillroberts]

This world is missing the matriarchal Grandmother 🙏💕

[@gee-wizz.5050]

@@aprillroberts as we move ever further away from nature, we move ever further away from all that is natural. It's not natural that kids parents have to both work all day, and quality time is an absolute luxury and the grandparents are in homes and strangers have to be paid to look after the young and old! Families were never meant to be 2.4 children or whatever that figure is now - it was meant to be a bosom of warmth and support that the whole family needed, and grandma and grandpa embodied that! It's a sad loss!

[@aprillroberts]

@@gee-wizz.5050 I’m thankful that all my siblings are law abiding citizens but then we did have a wonderful mom who stayed at home to bring 5 of us up on her own. My Father thought the grass was greener and we didn’t really know him at all. So all credit to mom. She’s blind now so it’s our turn to care for her. Blessed 🙏

[@animalactivist7820]

Poor thing. She was a survivor! Bless her.

[@David-uf8ex]

A spirit of this country that has sadly long gone , rest in peace lovely lady 😘

[@philiplee7604]

I agree!... very sadly long gone due to the immigration policies that ruined that stoic spirit and replaced it with “ entitlement”.

[@tamarafeliz]

Ah bless her! Salt of the earth! Wish she was my nan! I would give her all the tea in China! Never mind a quart! Shame on her fam!

[@rickdeckard723]

...Hear Hear, @tamarafeliz

[@adailydaughter6196]

Indeed!

[@mavos1211]

Totally agree! What an amazing woman, she had such a hard life but never complained, I would have spoiled her rotten love her.

[@popesarmyyeehaapopesarmyye1499]

@@mehhandle I THOUGHT THE WAR ENDED IN 1945? 🤔

[@hiwall4883]

@@popesarmyyeehaapopesarmyye1499 Yes but Britain was under rations for some years after the war.

[@trippy2johno280]

it's incredible to think that this old dear was 6 years old when jack the ripper was killing prostitutes & the elephant man was being exhibited as a freak. wow!

[@vantastic6513]

And 30 when the Titanic sank

[@wellmike3369]

How old is she now ?

[@StateOfErin]

@@wellmike3369 Description says she was born in 1882, so she'd be 137 this year.

[@wellmike3369]

@@StateOfErin not a bad innings

[@oldboy5001]

@@wellmike3369 I fear she was bowled out some time ago.

[@benc640]

People these days truly don’t know what they have and how fortunate they are. People like this lady built Britain, now its falling apart without them.

[@pollypineapple28]

Ben C u are so right! This is why I hate today’s world, because this generation are gone!

[@ThePizzafire]

Cheer up! Go spend 5 minutes in Syria, then you'll know what falling apart is! Things are grand here...

[@shanehughes3511]

So her generation were the ww1, ww2 era, great depression, cold War, mass genocide, mass death from poverty and severe wealth gap, sexist, homophobic and racist and built a Britain built on a racist empire. Add to that the fact the UK couldn't even keep the lights on in the 70s and had food shortages in the 40s to 50s. Amd you think the modern world is worse? Her world was horrible and you know it. We have built a better world.

[@pollypineapple28]

Shane Hughes don’t think so! Disgusting world we live in now

[@SuperHydra93]

pollypineapple28 give some examples of why?

[@philwilliams2505]

These are the people who made Britain GREAT.....if we had this generation we wouldn't be in half the trouble we are now...totalty amazing ...bless her heart xxx

[@leonabull8815]

A lot of elderly in my street growing up were just like this lady. That generation had so much resilience.

[@flowergalpower2681]

She sounds like my grandmother she was from England. She died when I was 16 I'm now 65.

[@Isleofskye]

Did she emigrate, please?

[@cappsie1]

Flower gal Power Time flies, huh? One day there will be people saying the same about us. I’m 43 this month. I wonder how many generations it will be until I’m forgotten forever?

[@bmc9504]

@@cappsie1 whether you like it or not you've already made a mark on this planet, you just walking out the front door changes the world forever (butterfly effect). So although not forgotten, you're there one way or another. As a knock on effect or energy. This may sound weird but since I'm younger, if you were never born I'd have never been born.

[@veIvette]

@@Isleofskye oh no. I'm 16 but I already feel like time is out of reach. One day I'm turning 10 years old and now I'll be 17 this year. Your comment is making me panic. I know that growing up is a part of life, but honestly I'm scared for the future. My family members will eventually die, my friends too. And I have to figure out what on earth to do with my life. Honestly I want to stay young forever.

[@Bsknten]

vivi im 14 and i have this crisis nearly every day its absolutely horrible to be constantly plagued by these thoughts

[@chrisdooley6468]

My gran was just like this. Considered herself fortunate for everything she had, having lived through coming from Ireland with nothing then surviving the Great Depression here as well. So sad to see she was literally dumped out of hospital with no help at home after a hip surgery and broken arm.

[@wildplumbeauty]

@Chris Dooley There is a resilience to these people from the past that would put most people to shame these days. They just don’t make them like that anymore. God Bless their souls ♥️

[@alisonnorcross951]

My nan spoke like that but she moved out of London and she had her teeth in. Miss my man

[@ais8358]

Did the family look after her?

[@ellenmcmahon2212]

Mrs.G moh

[@kincaidwolf5184]

​@Caroline The genocide did not last until 1905, it ended in 1852. I am from Mayo, Ireland and you have no idea what you're talking about. Secondly, it wasn't the "Irish rebellion of 1916". It was the Easter Rising of 1916, which was a disaster and did nothing to progress Ireland. Nothing but a few thousand Irishmen, many of who were American and socialists launched the uprising. Meanwhile, 250,000 Irishmen were fighting for the Empire in Europe. Easter Rising was a terrible and stupid incident that did nothing but ensure that Ireland would be divided. You probably didn't know more Irishmen died in the Irish Civil, Irish men killing Irish men. But yeah, you comment on a British KZbin channel with your American-Irish rubbish. You're not Irish, you're American.

[@GiGiGoesShopping]

What a shining example of the rewards of being grateful for even the smallest of things. Such an inspiration ✨

[@evilazulan]

Oh man, I'm crying. I'm a real softie when it comes to old folks. Love this lady and grateful she got to share her story x

[@jasonantigua6825]

It’s not being soft! It’s called,compassion and empathy!

[@jamesbyrne9312]

Youlle be old soon. Will u like people saying they are softies over you lol. Probably not

[@jbish3721]

Seriously, what low-life would "thumbs down" this video? It is just an interview of a person who is long gone and who shared her experiences. I thoroughly believe that if someone posted a video of puppies playing some troll would give it a "thumbs down."🙄

[@LuisGonzalez-pw7rl]

This is very sad, but that woman is very strong spirit. Gif bless her. Thanks THAMES TV for Share us!!

[@paulph12002]

Yes, she is truly a woman of very strong spirit. Many people today could learn something from her, God bless her wherever she is now.

[@euckb]

@@paulph12002 Gif*

[@andrewnoonan4044]

@@paulph12002 Given the video was first shown in 1971 it is pretty safe to assume she has passed on by now.

[@dloveofgod8269]

@@andrewnoonan4044 she may have passed by now but is representative of many seniors on our/their own.

[@tamarafeliz]

Andrew Noonan 😭

[@vintagebrew1057]

My Nan's generation in the East End of London. I remember visits to her in the early 70's. My Aunt lived there too and between them the house was kept in immaculate condition .The furniture was ancient but carefully repaired and the front parlour covered and kept for "special" . To me, they seemed to have a Dickensian way of speaking and looking at the world. After they passed away, the whole street was swept away to build modern flats. As tough as life was, I am relieved that they were not shunted into a high rise flat.

[@englishmadcow7461]

Mine grew up in Chigwell n moved to Limes Farm Hainault when my great nan died in 74

[@alexandralusco]

Poor lady, my heart breaks to see her struggling alone at 89. Love her humour and determination! I hope she is much blessed by all the angels and found eternal peace after her long journey in this world. God bless you sweetheart 💛

[@xr6lad]

Happens today if not more so with the privatisation of everything and councils abandoning any pretence of providing services unless they can be seen ticking some Woke Box. They spend more time discussing pulling down a statue than whether they should increase funding of meals on wheels

[@sarahjones-jf4pr]

Alexandrina Rose o'Learty You would offend a woman of her grit and determination by feeling sorry for her.

[@ahousecatnamedmr.jenkins1052]

I am an American and would gladly bring her Tea every day and sit and listen to her talk about whatever she wants

[@MegaJacko4]

I would give up anything just to have one conversation with that incredible lady. I could listen to her stories a day and the amount of questions i would ask her.... 😪 rest in peace you wanderful lady whoever you were. I am so sorry i never got the chance to know you.

[@irishcountrygirl78]

A lesson in gratitude. What a great lady. Terrible her own people didn't even call to her. Tower blocks are isolating, but her own people knew she was there and didn't call. Sad.

[@markwilliams1910]

Hello are you doing today Tracey

[@tristanthomas5006]

Selfish boomers.

[@londongirl1733]

I think you are now drinking a nice strong cuppa 💗💗Lord love you and keep you well 🙏🙏 they should be ashamed.

[@tedoneilclark4710]

The family proberly were all dead. She was 89yrs old and came through the 1800s.

[@8ofwands300]

@@tristanthomas5006Boomers? Do you realize this woman was 89 in 1971? 😳 her children were likely elderly themselves and born well before WW 1. They were not boomers. How about learning some history?

[@anthonysmith9920]

What an amazing lady with a attitude to match, long gone generation, god bless her!

[@bewilderedbrit8928]

Rest in peace dear lady.

[@randomuploadsism]

The gratitude is amazing. We can all be more like this lady. Her eyes would burst if she could see how we live now!

[@soleilm3866]

Gratitude..that's the word that came to my mind almost instantly..real organic Gratitude is a rare thing in our world today..RIP sweet mama.

[@alisonwilliams4862]

Tough old bird.... I guess at least she was happy in her little flat but it's sad that nobody helped her after her accident.

[@MsZoedog66]

Ha - I just wrote exactly that - 'tough old bird'. It suits her, meant most respectfully, don't you think?

[@alisonwilliams4862]

@@MsZoedog66 Indeed!

[@Isleofskye]

Exactly like our families who lived near the £20 Billion new complex being built at The Elephant and Castle in South East London. These new builds are replacing the tower blocks that in the early 1960's replaced our Terraced Houses.. My Nan lived in a house backing onto ours at the bottom of the garden.Our Aunt in the same terraced street. We were all re-housed.We ( I suddenly right NOW am realising HOW lucky !!) as we were put in a lovely small British block where anyone could come in or out right over a very busy market ( Put in You Tube "East Street 1971" and that was us, not literally. lol but the others were put in isolated tower blocks which got vandalised and those walkways made the elderly very vulnerable. The flats were nice but soulless and they were cut off on the 8th and 12th floor,respectively after living in a very tight local Community. By The Way the indigenous British have long been replaced in those Council blocks and now our lovely 24 Flat block has CCTV AND TWO seperate security numerical systems and even then some of the ground and 1st floor flats have grills on their windows. Progress,innit ! Innit? lol

[@josephdockemeyer4807]

So, I'm just gonna put this out there: I hear that the elderly in the UK are fed up because invaders are taking their pensions.

[@AB-wg1ol]

@@Isleofskye what is/was 'the british culture' you talk about?

[@jonathanlandau-litewski7405]

This wonderful woman had the same outlook on getting elderly that my late grandmother had. Being from Poland, she lost everything and nearly everyone in the war and barely survived the concentration camp and moved to UK when she married a British soldier. He (her husband, my grandfather) died in 1959 and was ever so content in her council house due to the loneliness she went through in her life. She was comfortable and happy and was sharp and witty, something I believe she was capable of due to having her own home. I worked in the care sector for years and saw such sharp declines in what were pensioners full of life retreating within themselves when put (forced really) into sheltered/assisted housing. They don't last very long when that happens. It's a shame.

[@x0539p]

Sweet lady but so sad no one came to help her or check on her. She sure has a great outlook on life at her age, we would all be like her.

[@citizen1163]

Miss ppl like this. My friend's grandfather died recently. He was 100yo & had been taking care of himself in his own home until the end.

[@freeatlast.]

Where did the old people like her go then??

[@adailydaughter6196]

Aww what a wonderful legacy 😊

[@AkashaMedea777]

Aw, people like that are epic : ) I love their quick wit and their energy. These were the people who knew how to party, and in the days when everybody took a turn at singing. God I miss those days and those people. It's all so different now. God bless your friend's grandfather, he sounds lovely : )

[@CatsOfMarrakech]

Yes sorry for the loss. Yes we have a neighbor age 97 she doesn't take any medicines and crawls on the floor to clean under chairs.

[@JayBenjamin9214]

This is very humbling viewing, and she was so right to call people out for having short-term memories. Yes, life can be very challenging for some, and we can't always have a smile painted on, but if we're even able to sit in a warm room watching this video, we're very privileged. I'm glad she was comfortable later in life.

[@LuluDumpling]

This made me cry. I hate that she had no one and struggled all alone after her accident. She's taking it better than I am, she would roll her eyes at me 😂 Lovely tough little cookie.

[@Cullenjohnmichael]

My generation could learn a thing or two from this. I lived with my papa for all my adolescent years and he was raised in the slums of glasgow, he knew what struggle was. Glad I had him to drill hard work and respect into me, but now feel alienated from my generation who totally lack that.

[@welshlad6427]

Yes I understand your feelings.

[@spherevision360]

@@welshlad6427Me too x

[@purpledreamer9654]

Bless her 😞 I really think that these films should be shown in schools

[@lauramackenzie1157]

Love this woman. Strength, independence and joy in the little things. Gratitude for everything she has. She's amazing and we could all learn a few things from her.

[@littleme4993]

No one should struggle in poverty or alone but that ladies heart warming attitude of being grateful for what you got shows pride, strength and wisdom. Older folks are amazing valuable people with a lot to share about life .

[@sikhpilot.]

God bless her soul. What a lovely and insightful interview.

[@xsduprwd3937]

Everyone here knows of a old lady or man in their neighborhood. This Christmas day i challenge you all to go knock on their door and wish them a merry christmas, or make them a cuppa!

[@carlalappin7170]

Yep 👍 great idea ... Awwwwh on her own at Xmas wen she couldn't even walk from broken hip terrible .. I would defo invite an older person 2 dinner I dnt know anybody elderly and on there own ... 💚

[@michellegreen4868]

@The Englishman Gimmegrants thats a gudun, will remember that lol

[@maxisussex]

I've lived in my house for 15+ years and I don't even know a single neighbours name. Welcome to the UK.

[@peterturley1331]

Of course they won't. Too wrapped up in themselves and their hellish mobile phones and televisions. Thoroughly despicable and malevolent 'society' .

[@marthafazzini9835]

Too true

[@elizabethlangley5643]

Watching this in 2021 during 3rd pandemic lockdown. Feeling ashamed of myself for complaining so much after listening to this wonderful woman!

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

I have such admiration for this sweet lady. May your memory be eternal, Grandma. The people of her generation lived through the worst of it and still managed to do their bit in putting the world right. Greetings to the indomitable people of Britain from Greece! 🇬🇧🇬🇷

[@wiseowl4393]

What a gem this woman was with her hardship memories. We have nothing to grumble about today.

[@kaikito2348]

It's Saturday night and I'm crying. We treated the elderly like crap then. And we are still doing it.

[@IYC0370]

It depends which culture you come from bro because in the Indian culture we will never let our parents, grandparents go through what this poor lady went through.

[@junior2404]

@@IYC0370, that will depend on which indian "culture" you are talking about. I work in healthcare and 20 yrs ago I would have agreed with you. But sadly, there is a generation now that do not seem to care as much as the ones before them. Western life have caught up with most of us unfortunately.

[@kdjoshi726]

@@IYC0370 Nah not true. My mom & grandma never had any good relationship so she forced my grandma to live in our other house, which was old house (and originally my grandparents') even tho a part of the cost our house we currently live in was paid by my grandmother

[@kdjoshi726]

@@junior2404 I blame them Saas-bahu vale serials. Some braindead audiences watch it & get influenced by it. Yes I've heard of such cases too

[@billhosko7723]

Speak, for yourself you desperate for attention Woke Snob.

[@PlanetImo]

Fabulous lady. I'm so glad she was caught on film and preserved in some way.

[@nellieou]

I’m American and she reminds me of my American grandma from the same generation. Very tough women with nothing to complain about. She was mowing her grass with an old fashioned push mower into her 80s and walking a mile to pick up her mail and back everyday until her death.

[@dickiegreenleaf750]

Wow. I thought British grandmas were completely different than American grandmas. Thanks for letting us know!

[@namedrop721]

@@dickiegreenleaf750 really curious-in what way did you think they were different?

[@ElinasAlchemy]

"You've got to make your own company" 👏 I love this lady!

[@markwilliams1910]

Hello are you doing today Elinas

[@flowerydaveflowerydave1533]

Very wise woman. "I'm contented" .... Appreciative of everything and everyone around her. Great way to be.x

[@jarodcarnarvon5198]

Older people are so awesome to listen to. I love hearing their stories. I enjoyed visiting the rest homes as a child and teenager and listening to those people talk.

[@lfking9778]

Bless her heart. I hope she is comfortable and surrounded by love wherever her wee soul dwells.

[@kitty16vcat11]

I'm just so glad we looked after our old neighbour, i wouldnt be able to sleep knowing a poor old lady was living next to me and not even bring her a cup of tea!! 😭 I called my neighbour my 'adoptive granny'. My kids would always help to get her shopping from the car, even though she would refuse, but then I would gently whisper to her that she was helping to make them become gentleman. She would instantly step aside with a dignified cute smile.😍 I miss my adoptive granny....she later moved into an old people's home - thanks to her very own children who found it burdesome to keep an eye on her even though she was 99% independent! She deteriorated so quickly after.😪 Their independence is what keeps them strong, I've always seen that.

[@MohammedAli-cs4ee]

Such a shame nobody come and looked after her when she come out hospital. I'd gladly have helped, but wasn't born until 1983. I would have loved to have known her. Bet she had loads of stories to tell. At 90 her mental state was 110%! She was full of life and had all her marbles intact! Don't see many of her like today.

[@acxezknightnite1377]

Such stoicism! What a marvellous woman. We see nothing of the like nowadays. Must be from living through truly hard times. Too much victim hood now. Too much entitlement.

[@robinanna5531]

This comment made me sad. I work in a deprived area and I see this level of stoicism regularly. I find it very humbling.

[@CannabrannaLammer]

That's exactly what it is. Humility and gratitude comes from suffering. We learn how to truly love through hardship. The quickest way to know someone has never experienced hardship, is to listen to how much they victimise themselves.

[@MaskedMadmann]

ok snowflake

[@alundavies8402]

Nowadays I am not hungry and I have a roof over my head and that is more than I could count on when I was younger and I am sure that it is because of the welfare state

[@coranford7463]

@@alundavies8402 aka today's food banks and increasing homeless!

[@AlexandriaSWest]

What a lovely lady! It must have been so interesting to live in the 1950s to 1980s and have the chance to meet people like her who had stories about living in the Victorian era. My Great Grandparents had all passed on by the time I was born.

[@michaelgoulding6609]

i was brought up by elderly relative,s & used to love to sit & listening to them talking about what it was like when they were young.. & how they rememberd their elderly relative,s & how they lived & earned a living, that were long dead, by which obv,s they were my ancester.s too, & i would ask if they could show me where they where burid, which they did, (which i still visit their grave,s aswell as the grave,s of the realative,s that showed me, & if you just asked questions & showed interest in what they could talk about(which i was 100% & learnt more off them, than i ever did at school), of which i was never interested in, but the difference now to back in the 70/80s.. young people mixed more with older generations, when i started going out for a pint in local pubs with mate,s same age,( age 18 ) we would sit & mix & have a laugh with people in their 70s etc, not like now, if ya happen to say hi to younger people today, if they can be botherd to look away from their phone, this is all you,d get, a funny look, cos they are prob wondering why yer speaking to them when they don,t know you..its sad, cos this generation will never learn anything from older folk, cos they are to engroced with their phone..of which i think they,ll learn nothing from.

[@allme2547]

When she was talking about how happy that her complexion cleared up because she's able to bathe regularly and then teasing about how some people get like old horses & did that little impression. I just wanted to give her a big hug. So pitiful & sweet at the same time.

[@estoforte388]

Women like this kept the home fires burning through the hardships of two world wars.

[@TeachBeag08]

Heartbreaking & heartwarming at the same time - God bless her

[@sharonhubbard2035]

This lady is absolutely adorable

[@unlokia]

This woman is on my level. RIGHT on my level. No words needed, she was and is right. I know what she's saying, and if she were alive and talking to me, she'd know I knew what she meant without hesitation. I know people exactly like this, SENSE and gratitude. God bless you my friend.

[@mossfoster5317]

incredible stuff, a terrible shame people like this don't exist anymore.

[@drivewaydiyer6504]

Moss Foster they do, just that no one visits them

[@freeatlast.]

There will always be old people, maybe you need to check them out in your local community.

[@tc9634]

yes, they do, they're called people

[@maunster3414]

Freeatlast, Moss was referring to her positive attitude, not her age.

[@anh7807]

@@maunster3414 I've worked with elderly for over a year now and they are definitely still like this.

[@PaulSb1]

I miss my gran

[@imnotavingthat6813]

Bless the old girl, just gets up and gets on with it, happy for what shes got. Todays shower could learn some valuable lessons

[@mazzab1970]

Problem is, the majority of people who vote now who are her age (75+) do so in a bigoted way (eg, Tories, Reform, etc) to keep people in poverty and give money to the already richer in society. I suspect this woman would have not done that as she knew what it was like to suffer, unlike those born frm late 1940s to mid-60s who had the best the state could provide. And they are STILL not happy!

[@brildidge9523]

It's absolutely true that nowadays we don't know we're living. Sad to say that too many people in the world still have poverty-stricken ghastly lives. The thing is that when we become better off we then take it all for granted and assume that we have a right to it. People who have plenty still " need more " - a car per person, several holidays a year, dining at rip-off restaurants etc. It's not that these things are wrong but everything we have is precious and we should know that to have it , we should also appreciate it. God bless this old lady and all like her, anywhere in the world.

[@marktwain380]

Dear old soul, now looking down on us from her tower block in the sky, what amazing endurance and gratitude, bless her soul!😊

[@phil4977]

Great attitude. Tough as nails and happy

[@nevadatan7323]

So heartbreaking. I hope she knows that decades on that we still feel for her 💗

[@sheilacabrera3986]

She has a lovely spirit, or had more than likely; I hope she's enjoying her heavenly dwelling place.

[@personl7949]

A fantastic lady. Incredible. ❤️❤️

[@fishyc150]

I was born in 1971. We had nothing. Kids growing up today have 100 times what I had. But even with nothing I had 100 times as much as she had. I had the NHS, schooling, house, heat and food. All the essentials. In 1971 Albert Steptoe said "kids today spend more on crisps in one week than my mother had to feed a family of 4" Kids in 2021 now spend more on data/ wifi than my mother had to feed a family of 5.

[@Thorny5718]

Bang on, puts it in perspective doesn’t it. We live in a time now where we have a generation that thinks the world and everyone else owes them a living! Don’t appreciate anything. Drives me nuts. I was born 71’ too.

[@skyworm8006]

​@@Thorny5718 I don't think that's true. Young people are now poorer than they were, because wages have not kept pace with living costs, which must also mean they spend less. Not to mention housing crisis. You lived in one of the most prosperous times in human history. It is not the norm. People assume things can only get better, progress, but as it stands things will only slowly decline and never recover (socially too).

[@pauladdae3130]

​​​​@@skyworm8006 there are inequalities at present, and the numbers of 'breadline poor' are increasing since the 1970s (see Dorling et al., 2007, Joseph Rowntree Foundation report). However, it would be utter folly to compare the living conditions of people born in the Victorian era and through to the mid-1950s to today. They did not have the basic amenities and essentials at that time such as food, heating, sanitary facilities, and housing which was not overcrowded.

[@Miniver765]

​@@pauladdae3130 And they also lived in an era before the advancements of modern medicine and the invention of antibiotics. The mortality rate for infections that are easily treated now was staggering right the way up through the 1950s.

[@qtredhead]

I was born in 1970. We weren’t rich by any means but we weren’t the poorest, but for all that I felt rich. There was always food, the house was warm and clean and I was loved. I wouldn’t swap growing up then for anything

[@theindigotraveller]

what a beautiful soul. She was so grateful for everything she had. What a sweet lady

[@sandinyabumcrack]

Jesus I miss this generation! I miss their stories, their cooking, their smell! I miss the hell out of people like this in my life 😢 the world is a sadder place without these tough old wise people 😢

[@Ess-w3g]

They'd be about 130 by now so it's probably for the best.

[@leerolfe5332]

We're lucky to of had them in our life bud. The further we get from the genuine old timers the worse communities seem to be.

[@JD-lp5rw]

And now we get gen Z... Can we swap them all?

[@Denidrakes69]

There's still 90yo's talking like this day.

[@bettygrable6440]

Are you talking to Jesus? Don’t be offensive. Christ is king.

[@cynhwon]

She reminds of my lovely elderly customers at a small town Newsagency. They always came by just to chitchat and it's such a great honour and pleasure to hear first hand from them of their lives.

[@shaunmichaelmctigue4363]

What a lovely lovely woman and god bless her❗

[@florencegay3215]

Heartbreaking. This truly beautiful lady with her indomitable spirit and gratitude for all she has, was left alone without help, comfort and support. The same happened to me at 51 years old after major surgery for cancer. Being alone and without support happens to younger people, too. The common denominator is a world where people live inside their own bubbles and neither see, nor care to see, anyone outside of it. Help where we can. Spread comfort and give freely with love in our hearts. God bless this lady, may she always be in clover x❤six

[@Brittunculi]

Same here,I had a stroke and live alone.Went to hospital for 3 days then came home and was scared for the first real time in my life.I comfort myself with youtube lol What helps me is,alan watts and charles Bukowski in living an unconventional life,the crunch by charles Bukowski and the Chinese farmer by alan watts.Did I mention alan and charles lol

[@MM-sq6my]

What a woman 🙏 God bless her soul xx

[@historyseeker7067]

Our old people today are boomers, born in a pat of butter and are totally oblivious to it. This early silent generation were the epitome of strength and British spirit. Hard people make easy times. Easy people make hard times.

[@sospeciallyme9096]

Would love to see more videos like this!!!! PLEASE. It has reminded me to be grateful for everything I have, not to whinge and covet the things I DON'T have, to treasure the old people in my life, to be genuine and look for the good in whatever circumstances I am in and to try to remain humble. Truly, I will never forget this woman. I mourn the loss of this generation of people.

[@daveontoast1977]

I'm glad that my grandmother live with our family till she passed. When I look at these grandmother's living alone it brings tears to my eyes thinking they unlike my grandmother where on their own. I can still see my grandmother sitting in here chair even after 24 yrs since she went.

[@Chattygran]

That video brought tears to my eyes. And you are blessed to have had your grandma living with you.

[@daveontoast1977]

@@Chattygran thank you.

[@xr6lad]

But some elderly want to live alone. I’ve discussed with my 78 year old mother about that if one day when my dad dies she should come and live with us; she says no. They are proud of their independence.

[@adamcowell7847]

I love listening to old people with their stories of life

[@lydialily846]

What a fantastic lady , with such a great outlook on life . Sad though that she had no one to call on her or give her a little bit of help ...

[@ironlion45]

What an amazingly tough old woman. 89 years old and she's still got more fight in her than a lot of kids today ever had.