Doncaster man beats Covid-19 and turns 100 years old

Mr Kemp, from Town Moor, celebrated his 100th birthday on August 11.

The celebration was extra special because Roland had recently recovered from Covid-19.

His granddaughter, Lucy Boothroyd, aged 31, said: “We were all terrified when he caught it.

“At his age, we thought that’s it he’s not going to survive.

“He was in the hospital for a broken arm when he caught the virus.

“But we were lucky he had a mild case and is doing great now.”

Lucy, and other family members who do not live in Doncaster, came to visit Roland for his big day and put on a celebration to mark the occasion.

“He’s always been such a social man, the life and soul of the party,” Lucy continued.

“He thoroughly enjoys being around people and he loved having a socially distanced birthday party with us all there.”

The party was held at the Hilton Hotel and Roland received a special birthday message from the Queen.

Roland was born in 1920 in Bolsover but moved to Doncaster when he was three years old.

His father got a job at Armthorpe Pit and so the whole family made the move up north.

Roland is brother to two sisters, Edna and Ida, and one brother Haydn.

Lucy said: “When he left school he got a job at the shop Jacksons in Doncaster town centre.

“That shop sold shoes and hats.

“He then went on to work on the Doncaster buses.

“My grandfather joined the RAF at the beginning of World War Two.”

Roland's basic training was at RAF Wilmslow and afterward came a posting to Plymouth. He was then sent overseas travelling to South Africa then up the Suez Canal to North Africa Egypt and the desert.

He went on to Sicily then up through Italy.

While in Naples he witnessed the last major eruption of the Volcano Vesuvius in 1944.

He later worked for ICI and Cementation.

Lucy said: “He met his wife Floris on Valentine's Day 1949.

“They had two children named Roger and Judith and four grandchildren.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read important request to make of you. I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Nancy Fielder, editor