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18 FOCUS - NOVEMBER 2015 A Centenarian looks backA Centenarian looks back Roy Nottingham has a twinkle in his eye and a mis- chievous smile.And he has just celebrated his 100th birth- day. However his appearance his mental agility and his memory are those of a man twenty years younger. When asked the inevitable question To what do you owe your longevity he responded without hesitation Good genes and a full life on the farm. His father had emigrated from England in the mid nineteenth century and began farming in Raglan. Roy was one of six children raised on the farm. Roy attended Port Perry High School and remembered the principal Mr. Gale A friendly man said Roy. But his fondest memories are of Mr. Gemmel who taught gar- dening surveying and agriculture. Mr. Gemmel became the principal when Mr. Gale left in 1932. After school Roy worked on the family farm a mixed operation of grains and cattle and in 1938 his father handed the farm over to him. This made Roy the young- est farmer in the county. At this point in the conversation his eyes widened and a big smile appeared as he continued In the summer of 1936 I attended a Sunday School picnic in Lakeview Park in Oshawa. I saw a pretty local girl Doris Bray. Three years later we were married and began our life together on the farm. In 1943 Roy had nearly 30 cows so he began selling milk which he shipped to Beatons Dairy in Oshawa a practice he continued for 22 years. At the time he did his ploughing and harvesting with a team of horses but yearned to own a tractor. So in 1943 Roy went to work at GM in Oshawa for three years. He saved all his wages and used the money to buy his first tractor. He then quit work at GM. He also did custom work combining for others. He was one of the first in the region to own a combine a Massey Harris pull behind square bailer. He operated this for a year and then bought a self-propelled combine in 1950 one of the first in the area. I drove a combine for fifty years he declared. While working at GM Roy made a decision that he has never regretted. In 1945 Roy along with Gordon Brent and Delbert Catherwood all joined the Masonic lodge at Brooklin. Here he made lasting friendships. The Grand Master at the time was John Batty. Bill Manning who later became Reeve was also a member. Roy has just received his pin for 70 years as an active member of the Masonic Order. Roy and Doris had seven children six sons and one daughter. My wife lived for the kids says Roy proudly. All the kids learned to work hard by helping with the chores on the farm. A great way to raise kids he added. We all got along well. It was a terribly sad day when she passed away fourteen years ago. I have seen many remarkable changes in the world in my lifetime particularly in farming he claimed. Gone are the days of the self supporting 100 acre farm. Now its Go big or go broke. They sold the farm in 1974 and retired and set out to explore the world. Ive been to Australia three times he said. When asked what the appeal ofAustralia was he com- mented The people there are so friendly. We first went there in 1970 and took our eleven-year-old grandson Robert. With a wink he added He was our interpreter. He has also travelled all over North America. In the 1970s he and Doris had a truck with a camper and drove to Whitehorse and then to Dawson Canadas northern most city. Beautiful country he said. Roy still enjoys driving today. In 1978 Roy and Doris bought a home in Caesarea where Roy lives independently today. One of Roys more interesting recent experiences oc- curred last year 2014 when he was invited to Welland to attend a ceremony to mark the beginning of a Memorial