A University of Manchester graduate who completed her degree in 1938 was surprised with her certificate at her 101st birthday party.
Mrs Palmer achieved a first class degree, and although she attended her graduation ceremony she didn’t receive a certificate at the time and moved to Glasgow soon after before going on to wartime placements at hospitals in London.
After the war, she began teaching English, firstly at the NW Polytechnic in London (now the University of North London), and then in grammar schools.
Mrs Palmer had a long and accomplished teaching career as well as three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She continued to be very active in later life, even embarking on a trekking and white water rafting adventure in the Himalayas at the age of 75, and still walks her dog every day and live independently.
“I had so often heard her talk about her days at university as special and very happy times, and then she’d mention the lack of evidence of her achievements there.
“It felt important to try to give her the acknowledgment of those days, and contacting staff at Manchester has enabled a sense of completion and celebration to finally happen!”