Joseph William Bishop, known as Bill, celebrated his 100th birthday on December 5th. An honest, upright man who likes things done properly, Mr Bishop is well known in Ross.

He moved to the area in 1956, after his marriage to his wife, Helen, and they went on to have a daughter, Jane. Bill now lives at Goodrich Court where he is the eldest resident. After Mr Bishop moved to Ross he was a director of the local dealership for Austin and Rover cars in Cantilupe Road. He was also a keen golfer and helped build the new Ross Golf Club course.

Born in 1911 to a farming family in Netherley Bewdley, Mr Bishop attended Hartleberry Grammar School before serving three years as an indentured apprentice at Guy Motors, Wolverhampton. He then worked at a car dealership before volunteering for the Air Force. He joined the Canadian Bomber Squadron flying Wellington bombers. On one occasion his plane made a forced landing in the North Sea. As the crew were on the wing of the aircraft trying to inflate the dinghies the pilot asked Mr Bishop to return for the pigeon. He managed to get it and took hold of it, when it laid an egg on his hand before keeling over and dying. Luckily the crew was picked up two hours later by an air sea rescue launch.

On June 11th, 1943 Mr Bishop was awarded the DFC when, as a gunnery officer, he shot out the search lights on a plane which enabled the pilot to get away from anti-aircraft guns.

Mr Bishop was a phenomenal sportsman competing for Bewdley Rowing Club and playing hockey for the county of Worcestershire. He also enjoyed owning a vintage Bugatti and took part in Hill Climbing events.

In his nineties Mr Bishop was a familiar sight walking vigorously around Ross and still could beat many younger men at golf. He has celebrated his 100th birthday with three parties, one for family and friends at Fownhope, one at Goodrich Court and one at Ross Golf Club.