Starkey, Grace – Was Grantham’s oldest woman

Grace  Starkey(1858-1954)

GRACE Annie Starkey died just three days after celebrating her 96th birthday, at the time being Grantham’s oldest woman resident.

She had been a widow for 25 years, a member of the Bridge End Road Wesleyan Church and had lived in Harrowby Road for 62 years.

She was bedridden for the last 18 months of her life, after breaking her hip in a fall.

Orphaned at a very early age, she came to Grantham from Ingham, near Lincoln, aged 19. She was parlour maid to local medic Dr Ashby.

A very keen social worker, she devoted the latter part of her life to organising efforts for charities. She was treasurer of the Wesley Bright Hour for many years, and was also the sick visitor for a lone period.