Illustrator, artist and author Joan Sparrow's 100th birthday

Oaklands Nursing Home’s activity coordinator recently organised a surprise party for Mickey Mouse and 'Good Housekeeping' illustrator Joan Sparrow’s 100th birthday.

Lynn Tomkins arranged for singer Andrew Marc to perform at the party and emailed Ms Sparrow’s two sons, one of whom lives in America and the other in London, along with a group of 14 friends.

Ms Sparrow “was very overwhelmed with all the excitement. As she came into the lounge where we all were, we sang happy birthday to her,” said Ms Tomkins. “I think it really took her breath away”.

Ms Sparrow's friends, family and carers joined in the birthday celebrations (Image: Lynn Tomkins)

Born in north London, Ms Sparrow and her family moved to New York when she was only four years old. Her father wrote a book on the Empire State Building, Ms Sparrow noted.

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She fondly remembered going to the American Embassy Garden party with her parents and brother every July 4. She said she once met Frank Sinatra and Danny Kay there.

The family returned to London after five years and Ms Sparrow went to Hornsey Art School to do what she loved, including fine art, printing, bookbinding, wood engraving and illustrating according to her brief biography in ‘The Magic Millstone’, the first storybook she made for children.

A career as an artist took Ms Sparrow’s interest after her first job in advertising. She began working at a newspaper in Fleet Street and vividly remembers being able to see St Paul's Cathedral from the window of her studio room.

Ms Sparrow with her 100th birthday cake (Image: Lynn Tomkins)

Ms Sparrow produced illustrations for magazine titles such as ‘Woman’, ‘Woman's Own’ and ‘Good Housekeeping’ as well as drawing ‘Kidnapped’ for Mickey Mouse Weekly in 1948 and ‘Made for each other’ for Mirabelle.

Finding her calling in writing children's books, which she loved doing”. She eventually moved to the village of Orleton in Herefordshire, and now lives at Oaklands.