“Pamela is a great advertisement for being 100. It has been a pleasure to look after Pamela and we were delighted to be able to facilitate this occasion,” according to Barry Power, Director of Nursing, Waterford Residential Care Centre. Barry was addressing those gathered recently to celebrate the 100th birthday of Pamela Bankes, a resident at the centre.

Staff were joined by her son Dr Nicholas Bankes, his wife Nina and friends to mark the occasion.

Welcoming everyone, Barry noted that “we take great pride in looking after people here at Waterford Residential Care Centre and we get great support from the public in doing so.”

He continued: “Throughout this past century, we have witnessed remarkable changes to all aspects of our lives. In many ways, the world we live in today would have been unimaginable on the day of Pamela’s birth.”

Currently leading a full life and sharing a great love of music and art, Pamela was born in Liverpool in 1924. At 18 she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), known as the “Women’s Army,” during World War II. It was during this time that she met her husband Gordan, who was serving as a captain in the armed forces and they were married as the war continued.

Gordan later became a teacher, with Pamela also fulfilling an educational role as a teacher. They had three sons together, Michael (RIP), Nicholas and Joanty. When the children were born, Pamela gave up her job but in later years returned to teach children with special needs.  When Gordan retired, the family relocated to London.

Their son Nicholas moved to Ireland in 2002. Pamela followed a few years later in 2009, after Gordan passed away. Pamela lived in South Parade, Waterford before moving to Waterford Residential Care Centre, where she has been a resident since 2021.