Joan Brooks, a 99-year-old from South Hampstead, will celebrate her 100th birthday on Saturday, August 15, with a drinks party. Her secret to a long life, she says, is staying active and enjoying a glass or two of wine with dinner.
A Lifetime of Activity and Adventure
Joan has travelled to 108 countries, including Japan, her favourite, and still attends a twice-weekly aqua-aerobics class at her sports club in Mill Hill. The New Journal joined her for a weight-pumping session in the pool ahead of her big day.
“I love being in the water and the people there are so friendly,” Joan said. “I guess my positive outlook has helped me through the years. I am the oldest person in the class. I usually do 35 minutes in the class and it helps keep me moving. I’ve been doing the aqua-aerobics for about 30 years. I do like swimming. I have arthritis in my knees but can do anything in the water.”
Friends and Admiration
Her friend David Morris, who met Joan through the class and shares her love of opera, described her as “simply extraordinary.” He noted that she always has a smile on her face and never complains.
Joan was born in Liverpool in 1926, where she remembers hiding from bombs in a corrugated iron shelter during the Second World War. She studied pharmacy at Manchester University and moved to London in 1950 to work as a pharmacist at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Career and Lifelong Interests
Between 1952 and 1954, she travelled the world by boat. Later, she owned pharmacies in East Finchley and Notting Hill and worked at the Ministry of Agriculture on animal health, ensuring the quality and safety of animal medications. “It was interesting and different to human medicines,” she added.
Instead of retiring, Joan worked as a consultant, including for Pfizer. She never married, though she almost did twice, but opted to go to New Zealand instead. Today, she lives independently and only stopped driving at 96, giving her car to the caretaker in her block of flats, who now drives her to the gym twice a week.
Celebrating a Century
At 4ft 10, Joan is a diminutive figure but well-known at the club, from cafe staff to lifeguards. Her 100th birthday on August 15 will be marked with a drinks party in South Hampstead, celebrating a life filled with sport, theatre, and positivity.
