Matilda Cook was born on April 26, 1901, and yesterday celebrated her 105th birthday! Making her the oldest person living in Karuah, and most probably the oldest person living in the electorate of Paterson.

In the Paterson electorate there are six people over the age of 100 listed on the electoral commission, however none of these six people, other than Matilda, have reached the ripe age of 105.

Matilda's parents were James Herbert and Annie (nee Huckstart) of Gresford. They lived at Trevallyn and Matilda was one of 12 children, with six brothers and six sisters. Later in life she met Thomas George Cook, and they were married at Gresford.

Thomas was a dairy farmer before moving on to timber cutting and bush work, always with Matilda right by his side, who managed to juggle hard work between raising their family. They lived in Booral and later Ferodale, where most of their family grew up.

Times were tough in those days, so whilst living at Ferodale, Matilda and her family had a market garden and grew vegetables, Chrysanthemums and Christmas Trees and sold them from a roadside stall.

The family washing had to be done at the dam on the property. Clothes were boiled in two kerosene tins and rinsed by hand.

Her family remembers one incident that occurred on the property when Matilda was trying to protect them from a snake. Although she managed to ensure no one got bitten, she set fire to the grass, only to burn down the cow bales and cow shed!

Matilda's husband Thomas died in 1964, and with all the family grown up and having left home, she went to live in Raymond Terrace and Beresfield, with two of her sons.

In the last decade they came to Karuah to live, where she is lovingly cared for by her children and grandchildren. She has spent the happiest days of her life in Karuah, indulging in her love of card playing.