‘I’m a lady of leisure now’: Meet the Leeds centenarian who has just retired from teaching

A 100-year-old woman who taught in the Leeds community for over 40 years has finally called it a day after an illustrious life passing on her wisdom.

Maureen Lee is one of the longest serving teachers in the Bramley parish having educated the village’s children at the Christ is King School on Kings Approach.

From her humble beginnings in the North West, an evacuee in Wales during the Second World War, to her state of reverence amongst the Bramley folk, hitting a century is merely the icing on the cake for Maureen.

Joined by two of her three children, Kieran, 71, and Declan, 73, she reflected on her career and importantly, the lessons she has taken from a life populated with stories in Leeds.

When we asked her how it felt to have contributed so much, she said: “It’s just part of my life.

“I’ve helped train the children in the sacraments and I’ve helped a lot of elderly people.

“I didn’t teach originally because it was wartime and I was in an office, but then I went to the government and they had a lot of different colleges - that was for 13 months.”

The former teacher said that she observed so many different changes across her 40-year stint in the classroom.

Maureen said: “We went to the school where I taught a fortnight ago, and it’s so different.

“There’s no blackboards, no chalk - there’s all these little tablets and things like that.

“You know, we had absolutely nothing to start with, just after the war.”

The Bramley centenarian went on to explain the ways she used to engage the children she taught in lesson time.

She added: “What we used to do was sit on a mat on the floor when we were doing these communal lessons. We’d have two lessons on two different days learning different words as they went through, and to test them I used to say ‘we’re going to have a game today’.”

“The game worked wonders, it really did. They couldn’t wait to beat me.

“And of course, if they beat me, I’d say that’s not fair. I wanted to win you know!”

Originally from Liverpool, Maureen initially undertook an intensive training course in Chorley, Lancashire, before landing short term teaching roles in Meanwood and Headingley back in Leeds.

Whilst taking a course in Spanish in 1951, she met her late husband Michael, and was awarded ‘Best in Class’ for her impressive command of the Iberian language.

Marrying her dear Michael in 1952, they were surprised with a written papal blessing from Pope Pius XII, which is proudly displayed in Maureen’s bedroom.

A framed message from Pope Leo XIV for her hundredth birthday also forms part of an impressive collection of heartfelt messages and handmade cards she received for the day.

Maureen told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “That was fantastic - I also have one from a wedding when we got married.

“To get all these cards was lovely, I wasn’t expecting them at all.

“I wanted to be there with them again.”

Maureen would involve her pupils in the journey of her son Michael, who from 1973-1977 took a ‘gap year,’ and by way of illustrating where he was heading, a map was put up in her classroom.

Lessons focused on each country’s culture and language, and it’s said that many of her former students remember these lessons to this day.

Having witnessed so much change in 100 years, Maureen offered some sage advice to young people to take into the future.

“Keep your sense of humour,” she said.

“And drink plenty of tea.”

She concluded by reflecting on her well-earned retirement, saying: “I’m a lady of leisure now!”