HILDA SHARES HER 100th
Hilda Tottenham was born on October 22, 1923, the sixth child of Coomboona (near Undera) farmers and an early devotee of the dark spread that remains a staple of her diet — even today.
The first experience she remembers having with what was a pretty much unknown toast topping for Australians was as a child, when she said there was always a jar of Vegemite on the shelf.
Hilda, who only arrived at Warramunda Aged Care six months ago, will this year celebrarte her 100th birthday in the same month and year that a food technologist employed by a then small food company perfected his recipe.
Her son, David, now 73 was brought up on Vegemite sandwiches and Hilda admits to adding the spread to stews and soup “for a bit of flavour”.
She said the first thing her two children, she also has a daughter Wendy, could eat after being sick was toast with a bit of Vegemite on top.
She is famous her for ditties in the aged-care facility and she came up with this for vegemite:
“There is an Australian spread called Vegemite,
“Whose taste is just right.
“On biscuits and cheese it is sure to please,
“So try some today and tonight.“
Limerick writing is one of her calling cards.
Not everyone shares the same passion for Vegemite as Hilda, the 99-year-old admitting one of her friends “won’t even try it, she just doesn’t like the look of it”.
The grandmother of two and great-grandmother of four, aged from 11 to one, has a history of longevity — like Vegemite — in her family as all three of her sisters also lived into the 90s.
There will not, however, be a Vegemite cake on October 22, 2023, for the special birthday celebration. That is, according to Hilda, taking things a little too far.
– It took a while for vegemite to strike a cord with its Australian audience, but — like Hilda — it has stood the test of time. It is now a “must try” for anyone who makes the journery down under and has not previously experienced the unique taste of the thick sandwich filling.
Hilda and Vegemite share their 100th birthday with inventions like the automatic watch and, interestingly, the orange light that sits between stop and go on the traffic light.
After witnessing a spectacularly bad accident in downtown Cleveland, the creator designed an automated signal with an interim “warning” position to give drivers time to clear the intersection before crossing traffic entered it.
The patent for this three-position traffic signal was given to Morgan on November 20, 1923. He eventually sold the rights to his invention to General Electric for $40,000.
One of the best known brands in the world, Disney, also turns 100 in October and, in keeping with the movies theme, the iconic 50-feet high HOLLYWOOD sign that stands in the hills above Los Angeles was also erected in 1923.
The earliest instant camera was invented by Samuel Shlafrock was also a 1923 creation, along with the bulldozer and cotton swabs.
On the human front one of the United States most loved and best known game show hosts, Bob Barker (of The Price is Right Fame) will also turn 100.
Australians may know him better as the man involved in a greenside fist fight with fictional golf character Happy Gilmour on the movie of the same name.
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