Well-known Harborough and Desborough woman Evelyn Crowe gets set to celebrate her 100th birthday

Evelyn with her brother Bernard (second left), his wife Janice, and her sister Marjorie (far right).

The well-known wife of a former vicar of Market Harborough is preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday this weekend.

Evelyn Crowe, who was married to Canon Norman Crowe, will be celebrating reaching her magical milestone on Sunday October 11.

Now living in Desborough, she also served as a magistrate and as president of the Inner Wheel, an international women's organisation to create friendship, service and understanding.

Evelyn (far right) taking a charabanc trip from Weston-Super-Mare to Cheddar Gorge in 1926 with her mother, Elsie, sister Marjorie and father William.

Evelyn was also Deanery President of the Mothers’ Union.

She and her husband Norman, who died in 2010, retired to Desborough in 1988.

Evelyn was born in Birmingham and worked as a secretary.

She wed Norman in January 1948 and they were happily married for 62 years before he passed away 10 years ago.

Norman served in the Royal Navy on destroyers during the Second World War.

He began his career as a refrigeration engineer before moving into management.

After serving as a Reader in the Church of England, he felt called to ordination and trained at Launde Abbey, near Oakham, in the early 1960s.

Evelyn and Norman moved to Leicester, where he was curate at the Church of the Martyrs from 1964.

In 1966 he became vicar of St Chad’s Church on Coleman Road, Leicester, and was active building the modern church on the site.

Evelyn and Norman moved to Market Harborough in 1973 when he became vicar of St Dionysius and Rural Dean.

Evelyn worked as a secretary as well as being a magistrate.

The mum-of-three was also actively involved with Inner Wheel and the Mothers’ Union, a popular global Christian movement.

The couple had three sons – Richard, Andrew and Peter.

Peter still lives in Market Harborough with his wife Sue and Andrew lives in nearby Sutton Bassett with his wife Sadie.

Richard now lives in Presteigne in Powys.

As well as her three sons, Evelyn has six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Sadly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a planned family lunch has had to be cancelled.

However, in accordance with the current guidelines, Evelyn is looking forward to seeing her whole proud family at some time over her birthday weekend.

Her family are also hoping to set up a virtual celebration with her brother Bernard, who lives in Scotland, and her sister Marjorie, who lives in New Jersey in the USA.