Celebrating our community’s centenarians – 100-second interview

Name: Rosseta Goodman

Born: 9 June 1915

Birth place: Clapton

Where do you live? How long have you lived there? Where did you live before?

I was born in Clapton and have lived in this neighbourhood all my life. I now live in Hackney and have been going to Jewish Care’s Brenner Community Centre at Raine House in Stamford Hill once a week for the past 20 years.

What was your profession before retiring? I worked in fashion in Richard Shops in Holloway Road as a saleswoman for the past 25 years before retiring.

Did you marry? I wasn’t married; my young man was killed in the war.

What about your family today?

My parents died very early, my mum was 54 and my dad died a year later. My sister never married and we were close to each other, but she passed away 20 years ago. My mother’s parents moved in 1948 with all my uncles, she stayed here as she was married and my dad wanted to stay close to his parents. My relatives live in America and I’m in contact with a cousin in Chicago, who’s in her 80s.

What is your happiest memory?

Every year, my sister and I went on holiday to Bournemouth. It was lovely to go to the sandy beach and we enjoyed it very much. We also used to dance in Saunders Jewish ballroom every week.

What do you consider to be your greatest/ proudest achievement?

To live this long! If you could live your life again, would you do anything differently? I would make sure that my sister and I would have gone to America as well and not stayed here.

Do today’s young people have it easy compared to when you grew up?

They don’t know they are alive! It’s much easier today.

If you could offer one piece of advice to today’s youngsters, what would it be?

Listen to your parents, and don’t always do things your own way.

Are the elderly given the respect they deserve in Britain today?

I think so. It’s important to me to have a carer and to come to the community centre.

What news story had the greatest impact on you?

When war was declared.

The secret to long life is…

Hashem – the only one that has first and last say. We were brought up to keep Shabbat, holidays and our Judaism.