Staff at a care home for former navy staff have said goodbye to their oldest resident.

Annie Cannon, who lived at Pembroke House in Gillingham, passed away at the age of 106 on Tuesday, April 14, from natural causes that were not coronavirus-related.

Annie had been living at the care home – which is run by The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust – in Oxford Road for 10 years and was one of Medway's oldest residents.

The grandmother of four and great-grandmother of 11 moved to Gillingham when her father started work at the dockyard in Chatham.

Although she was born in Plymouth, Annie settled down in Charter Street in Gillingham after she married her husband, Arthur.

The family raised their two sons, Colin and Arthur, and Annie worked in the dockyard's ropery and the canteen.

Arthur passed away in 1991 and Annie went on to work as a cleaner at the dockyard's naval barracks until they closed down.

Her son Colin said: "She loved going to a couple of afternoon clubs and meeting her friends and would also go to bingo several times a week.

"When she was 96, she had a nasty accident in her home which resulted in her going into Pembroke House care home.

"She made a good friend in Joan Mitchell who helped her settle in.

"For the 10 years she was in Pembroke, she could not have had better care from the staff and management. She was well looked after and the family would like to thank them."

Annie's funeral is due to be held at Medway Crematorium on Tuesday, May 5.

The cortege will be passing the home at 9.30am where staff will line the road to pay their respects.

Pembroke House was built as an orphanage in the 1920s. It was converted into a residential home in 1952.

Last week, The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust's patron Prince Charles praised staff for their work amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier this year, KentOnline met another Medway resident who passed the 100 year mark.

Winifred Ferguson, 104, celebrated her leap year birthday this year – technically, she would be 26.

KentOnline previously reported how Ivy Woolcock – thought to be Kent's oldest resident – celebrated her 109th birthday at a care home in Gravesend in March.

In the year Annie was born, 1913, suffragette Emily Davison was killed after throwing herself in front of the King's horse and 439 miners died in the Senghenydd Colliery Disaster, Britain's worst pit disaster. King George V was on the throne and Herbert Henry Asquith was prime minister.

Do you know anyone living in Kent or Medway who is older 100? Email medway@thekmgroup.co.uk

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