Resident Spotlight: Primrose McWilliams

At Newgate Lodge Care Home in Mansfield, we take pride in celebrating our incredible residents, their unique lives, and the paths that led them to us. It’s a privilege to care for individuals who each bring their own stories, interests, and talents. One such resident is Primrose McWilliams, whose remarkable journey has taken her around the world.

Born in Farndon, Primrose was welcomed into a loving family with her two sisters, Rosemary and Dorothy and her brother, Fred. During her school years, she remained close to her roots, spending much of her time in and around Newark and Farndon. She first attended Lovers Lane Infant and Junior School in Newark before continuing her education at Mount School in Newark.

After finishing school, Primrose began her working life at Bainbridge’s, a department store in Newark. She started in the haberdashery department, where her talent and dedication quickly stood out, earning her a promotion to Manager. Following her time at Bainbridge’s, she took on a new challenge, beginning work as a bus conductress on Gash’s Buses.

Primrose held a variety of jobs throughout her working life, from fruit picking to cleaning, before finding a role she truly loved – serving as the village postwoman for over 20 years.

Primrose met her future husband Ray in Inverness – his hometown – during the late 1950’s. Their journey together began through a family connection.

Upon laying eyes on Primrose, Ray turned to his stepfather and said: ‘I’m going to marry her one day’. He was right – it was love at first sight. They married in 1961, with their family growing with the arrival of three children in 1963, 1965 and 1971.

Throughout her life, Primrose and her family lived and worked in various parts of the UK and beyond – from Scotland to Portsmouth, even spending an exciting two and a half years in Mombasa, Kenya, where her husband was stationed during his time in the Navy. They found their forever home and settled in the village of Bilsthorpe, Nottinghamshire.

In the summer of 2014, Primrose visited the doctor after her family had raised some concerns. Later that year, in November, she was diagnosed with dementia. Primrose was accepting of the diagnosis, receiving strong support from her devoted children.

There were several early signs of forgetfulness that prompted Primrose to visit the doctor, including leaving doors unlocked and taps running. Following her diagnosis, she remained in her own home for 10 years, cared for and supported by her family.

Following two hospital encounters, Primrose was discharged to a care home in Worksop. However, the home was not a good fit for her and her family sought to move her to Newgate Lodge Care Home, where they felt she would receive the care and support she required. 

When searching for a care home for their mother, their family used a combination of online reviews and word of mouth recommendations to reach their choice. Activities and events were amongst the top priorities when looking for the right care home and Newgate fit these needs.

They were impressed by the variety of activities and events that they saw on the social media feeds of Newgate Lodge Care Home, showing that the home was active and engaging with its residents and the community.

Although they had visited several care homes in the area, Newgate Lodge felt the right fit for Primrose. Since her move, Primrose has settled in well and enjoys her time at the home.

Sue McWilliams, Primrose’s daughter, said: “The staff are lovely, really friendly and always helpful. They treat them like their own grandmothers”.

She added that Newgate Lodge has helped to strengthen their mother/daughter relationship saying, “We now have more of a mother/daughter bond, we can sit and have a chat”.

Since moving into Newgate Lodge, Primrose has truly embraced life in the home and gets stuck into activities with a cheerful and positive attitude. She enjoys taking part in a wide variety of activities – from baking and gardening to arts and crafts. She also loves having a sing and dance to music.

Primrose has always had a keen interest in gardening, and it’s something we ensure she continues to enjoy with the activities we offer at Newgate Lodge. At home, she cared for a beautiful, spacious garden filled with vibrant flower borders and a flourishing vegetable patch – something she took great pride in.

Here at Newgate, she continues to nurture that passion by spending time in our gardens, where she loves feeling the warmth of the sun, connecting with nature and getting hands-on with the flowers and trees. It’s a joy to see how much happiness and fulfillment the outdoors still brings her.

Primrose also has a long-standing love for baking, especially when it comes to making cakes, pies and biscuits. We’ve made sure to support this passion by including regular baking sessions in our activity schedule, where she’s always eager to get involved.

She also remains closely connected to her loving family and cherishes every opportunity to spend quality time with them, sharing stories, laughter and love.

At Newgate Lodge, we’re committed to providing activities that are tailored and personalised to each resident’s unique interests and preferences, ensuring everyone feels engaged, valued and at home.

Primrose has been a resident at Newgate Lodge Care Home for over 6 months, where she continues to thrive in the welcoming and supportive environment.

For more information about Newgate Lodge Care Home and the care we provide, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 01623 622 322 or email us at manager@newgatelodge.com. We’d be happy to help.