Maitland local Tom Hammond celebrates 103rd birthday at Greenhills aged care facility

newy.com.au – Maitland local Tom Hammond celebrated his 103rd birthday this week at the Skywing at Greenhills Residential Care Service, joined by Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison MP, family and fellow residents.

Reaching 103 is rare, and Hammond’s milestone marked a life spanning generations, including farm work in regional NSW, wartime service in Papua New Guinea and decades spent raising a family before retiring to the Hunter.

Hammond was born in 1923 in Sidebottom near Nabiac, where his family farmed and his father worked the land, a career he later followed both before and after World War II.

After marrying his first wife, Opal, the couple moved for work and life through Comboyne, Taree, Camden and Forbes, before retiring to Beresfield in 1986.

They were married for 49 years before Opal died, and Hammond remarried in 1995 to Dot, with the couple celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary last September.

Hammond has six children; Eric, Marie, Gloria, twins Beverley and Colin, and youngest son Barry, with Barry among those who joined the celebration at the aged care facility.

Staff decorated a common room with balloons and provided sweets, while Aitchison presented Hammond with a certificate and card to mark the occasion, along with a box of chocolates that he sampled straight away.

In a conversation during the visit, Barry shared a family story about his father’s slow eating, saying Hammond was told at school when he was five that he had to chew each bite 30 times, a habit that has stayed with him.

Aitchison said the visit was a highlight, telling Hammond and those gathered: “It was such a special morning to celebrate this amazing occasion, I can honestly say it’s the best 103rd I’ve ever been to.”

“Congratulations to Tom on achieving this rare and very special milestone!” she said.