Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 16, 2023 7:18:41 GMT 12
Hard work, staying active and getting off the booze and smokes key to reaching 100, centenarian says
Doug Sail
05:00, Feb 16 2023
Just a year after he retired from his work as a farmer, Waimate man Fred Jackson is celebrating a major milestone – his 100th birthday – and he has a bit of advice for those hoping to make the same milestone.
Jackson still lives in his own home and holds a NZ driver’s licence – not bad for someone who says he drank and smoked “like all young people of his time”. But, he gave up those vices in his 50s and says he felt better for it.
The new centenarian, who has farmed in the Waimate District of South Canterbury for more than 70 years, wouldn’t be drawn on whether giving up the two vices was behind his achievement, but did say “I’ll tell you what, I feel 100% better”.
“I used to drink and smoke the same as all young people, more than I thought...
“I almost feel sorry for every drinker and smoker as I know damn well they are shortening their lives.”
He said hard work and keeping active was also a key contributing factor to his good health.
The spritely 100-year-old was born in the Waimate township on February 16, 1923, and farmed 600 acres at Hunter from 1948 before selling to his son in 1983.
It was then he moved closer to Waimate and bought 50 acres, which he ran cattle and sheep on until 12 months ago when he leased it out.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
New centenarian Fred Jackson speaks about his long life.
Jackson was educated at the long-closed Hunter school and was one of four siblings, he had outlived both of his brothers and a sister.
He recalls his school years, and it being two miles from home.
“Back in those days there was no school bus. When you were 5 years old you were out the gate and walked to school.”
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
Centenarian Fred Jackson holds a photo of himself in armed services dress for World War II.
Aged 16 when World War II started, he worked at home until being called into camp in the Army in 1942, but went back to work for a year on the family farm in 1943 before volunteering for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1944, serving as a cook in bases around the Pacific.
“That's when I went overseas for a while, for maybe one to two years, and then came back and took the farm over in 1948.”
Jackson said he became a cook when new recruits went before a selection committee and “they said all you’ve got to choose from is general duties, which was cleaning out toilets or buggering around or cooking. I thought bugger it I'll try cooking.”
“We did a course, at Harewood (Christchurch), and then went overseas.”
He served in Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu), Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) and Jacquinot Bay (Papua New Guinea).
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
Photos of Fred Jackson on display at his home in Waimate.
“They reckon you could only stand six months in a cookhouse over there because it was so hot, but two of us decided to go home for six weeks (after the six months) and then went back again for another six months.
“When I came home I took the [family] farm over in 1948 through the Rehab loan scheme through the Government.”
Two years later, Jackson had met Noeleen Cromie and they married in 1950.
They have two children - Yvonne and Ian - and were together until Noeleen died in 1995.
“When I started off farming, times were pretty primitive.
“We had no power and I started off with a six-horse team for the 600 acres.”
He said the horse team was used mostly for ploughing and while hard work, Jackson said “there was more manual work” back in those days.
“I got a tractor in 1950. I must have only done about two years with the horses.
“Power came to the farm in 1956. It was quite a thing to get the power.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
New centenarian Fred Jackson enjoys a laugh at his home in Waimate.
“We got telephone in through the Red Cross who put them in for the communications.
“When we were kids we did have a post office in Hunter, near the school. That was the only communication for a time. If people wanted to ring up they went there.”
Jackson has nothing special planned for his birthday – but his family will.
“I don't do anything. I leave it. I've got a pretty supportive family, and they are doing it.
“It is only in the last couple of years I thought I might make it (to 100).”
He said big changes over the past 100 years included the change from horsepower to tractor power and “communication is terrific today”, although he did have gripes about trying to contact businesses and government departments.
www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/131206373/hard-work-staying-active-and-getting-off-the-booze-and-smokes-key-to-reaching-100-centenarian-says
Doug Sail
05:00, Feb 16 2023
Just a year after he retired from his work as a farmer, Waimate man Fred Jackson is celebrating a major milestone – his 100th birthday – and he has a bit of advice for those hoping to make the same milestone.
Jackson still lives in his own home and holds a NZ driver’s licence – not bad for someone who says he drank and smoked “like all young people of his time”. But, he gave up those vices in his 50s and says he felt better for it.
The new centenarian, who has farmed in the Waimate District of South Canterbury for more than 70 years, wouldn’t be drawn on whether giving up the two vices was behind his achievement, but did say “I’ll tell you what, I feel 100% better”.
“I used to drink and smoke the same as all young people, more than I thought...
“I almost feel sorry for every drinker and smoker as I know damn well they are shortening their lives.”
He said hard work and keeping active was also a key contributing factor to his good health.
The spritely 100-year-old was born in the Waimate township on February 16, 1923, and farmed 600 acres at Hunter from 1948 before selling to his son in 1983.
It was then he moved closer to Waimate and bought 50 acres, which he ran cattle and sheep on until 12 months ago when he leased it out.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
New centenarian Fred Jackson speaks about his long life.
Jackson was educated at the long-closed Hunter school and was one of four siblings, he had outlived both of his brothers and a sister.
He recalls his school years, and it being two miles from home.
“Back in those days there was no school bus. When you were 5 years old you were out the gate and walked to school.”
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
Centenarian Fred Jackson holds a photo of himself in armed services dress for World War II.
Aged 16 when World War II started, he worked at home until being called into camp in the Army in 1942, but went back to work for a year on the family farm in 1943 before volunteering for the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1944, serving as a cook in bases around the Pacific.
“That's when I went overseas for a while, for maybe one to two years, and then came back and took the farm over in 1948.”
Jackson said he became a cook when new recruits went before a selection committee and “they said all you’ve got to choose from is general duties, which was cleaning out toilets or buggering around or cooking. I thought bugger it I'll try cooking.”
“We did a course, at Harewood (Christchurch), and then went overseas.”
He served in Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu), Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) and Jacquinot Bay (Papua New Guinea).
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
Photos of Fred Jackson on display at his home in Waimate.
“They reckon you could only stand six months in a cookhouse over there because it was so hot, but two of us decided to go home for six weeks (after the six months) and then went back again for another six months.
“When I came home I took the [family] farm over in 1948 through the Rehab loan scheme through the Government.”
Two years later, Jackson had met Noeleen Cromie and they married in 1950.
They have two children - Yvonne and Ian - and were together until Noeleen died in 1995.
“When I started off farming, times were pretty primitive.
“We had no power and I started off with a six-horse team for the 600 acres.”
He said the horse team was used mostly for ploughing and while hard work, Jackson said “there was more manual work” back in those days.
“I got a tractor in 1950. I must have only done about two years with the horses.
“Power came to the farm in 1956. It was quite a thing to get the power.
AIMAN AMERUL MUNER/STUFF
New centenarian Fred Jackson enjoys a laugh at his home in Waimate.
“We got telephone in through the Red Cross who put them in for the communications.
“When we were kids we did have a post office in Hunter, near the school. That was the only communication for a time. If people wanted to ring up they went there.”
Jackson has nothing special planned for his birthday – but his family will.
“I don't do anything. I leave it. I've got a pretty supportive family, and they are doing it.
“It is only in the last couple of years I thought I might make it (to 100).”
He said big changes over the past 100 years included the change from horsepower to tractor power and “communication is terrific today”, although he did have gripes about trying to contact businesses and government departments.
www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/131206373/hard-work-staying-active-and-getting-off-the-booze-and-smokes-key-to-reaching-100-centenarian-says
