Celebrating her 100th birthday tomorrow (Saturday) is Mrs. Gwenith Aylwin James, of Tenby. Although born just over the border in Brislington, Bristol, Mrs. James, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Ignatius and Mary Christina Jones, is proud to have 100 per cent Welsh blood running through her veins. Together with her brothers Idris Deane and Gareth Vaughan, Mrs. James grew up in Brislington, having private tuition by a governess at the vicarage and later attending Miss Long's private school. In 1918, the family moved to Moseley Road, Birmingham, when her father had a calling to Moseley Church as congregational minister. Mrs. James attended St. Hilda's School and had the best Latin result in all private schools and distinctions in all other subjects, except maths! Mrs. James undertook a six-month secretarial course - excelling at shorthand - before starting work at Birmingham Small Arms in 1926. And it was whilst working at BSA that she met her husband, Charles Thomas James. They were married in Bristol on April 2, 1938, and lived firstly at Hall Green, with sons Michael and Bob, and then at Blackwood Road, Streetly, with the addition of daughter Diana and son John. In 1960, they moved to Pembrokeshire through Mr. James's job with Procter and Gamble, and to Carew, but after city life, they found the countryside too quiet and so they moved to Tenby and to Lady Park in 1964. Sadly, Mrs. James was widowed by her husband Charles in 1979. Mr. James had served in the RAF and the Tenby RAF branch have always kept a caring eye on Mrs. James. Mrs. James's working life locally saw her work during the 1960s for Mr. Jeeves the architect and then Allen Thomas, accountant, while during the 1970s she was employed at Charles Birt Estate Agents, and in the 1980s, at Five Arches Press. Mrs. James spent 22 happy years living at Rest Harrow, Cresswell Street, before she moved more recently to Hanover Court, then to the home of her friend, Len Hadman, at Hillingdene, Trafalgar Road, and latterly Park House Court, Narberth Road. Mrs. James has varied hobbies and interests. She has been a member of St. Johns Church, Tenby, for 48 years and a member of Tenby Arts Club for over 40 years. She was also a keen bowler and in 1962, not long after they had moved to the county, became one of the founders of the ladies' section at Tenby Bowling Club - the first club in Pembrokeshire to allow women on the hallowed turf. However, this had been precipitated the previous year, when Mrs. James's husband, Charles, was invited to join the club and he declined on the grounds that his wife would not be able to enrol as well. The couple were signed up quietly and records of the coveted Gold Cup Week - now one of the most popular open tournaments in Wales - show Mrs. James as one of the competitors. Although strictly limited to men only, the subsequent furore was only abated by her limited progress in the event. A formal apology by Mr. James at the annual general meeting did not deter him from launching a convincing appeal to allow ladies 'a limited amount of bowling'. Over recent years, Mrs. James became one of the faithful whist players at both the bowling club and the Royal British Legion - an activity she enjoyed right up until last year. Family - including everyone of her 12 grandchildren and all her 12 great-grandchildren - and close friends will be travelling from far and wide, including Vietnam, Canada, Austria and Switzerland, to help Mrs. James celebrate her milestone birthday with a party at Swallowtree Gardens, Saundersfoot, tomorrow.