Former Redcar pastor is toast of his church as he celebrates 100th birthday

Tom Orley was guest of honour at New Life Pentecostal Church Redcar when he visited on his 100th birthday

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Peter Reimann

Former pastor Tom Orley was the toast of his church as he celebrated his 100th birthday.

Tom was pastor at Redcar Assembly of God Church in Wilton Street, Redcar when it burned down in 2000.

Without a permanent base, worshippers were left without a home until a new church was purpose-built in 2011.

Yesterday Tom was guest of honour at New Life Pentecostal Church Redcar when he visited on his 100th birthday.

His visit to the church, on the corner of West Dyke Road and Grosmont Close, came on a special day for the congregation at it was Pentecost Sunday.

“It’s very special to be back here, it is lovely,” said Tom, who was surrounded by family and friends.

Tom was born in 1914 in the year the First World War started and as a child survived the German bombardment of Hartlepool.

In later life Tom worked on the railways for many years and was a pastor in Hartlepool.

During this time he had no transport but is remembered for walking or cycling to visit his flock in all weathers, such was his commitment to his congregation.

After nearly 20 years at Hartlepool, he moved to Redcar in 1964. The new church was built to replace the old Wilton Street mission on the same site in 1990.

But after only 10 years that building was destroyed in a fire. It was a devastating blow for everyone at the church, including Tom.

Grandson Paul Mileham, 45, of Redcar, said: “His Bible which he got from his wife was lost in the flames.”

His wife May had been a very fit person but was later diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and ended up in a wheelchair.

Tom kept up his work as a minister of the church while also looking after his wife, who died when she was in her 60s.

He finally retired in 2006 at the age of 92.

Paul said: “They call him the Comeback Kid. He has had that many falls. When he was 95 he fell from the top of the stairs to the bottom and split his head open.”

But Tom is made of sterner stuff and got through that ordeal. Paul and his wife Sue said: “He is a real survivor.”

Tom’s daughter Ruth, 69, of Redcar, said he had always been devoted to the church and his flock. She said: “He used to pray for every individual member every day, a proper shepherd.”

Tom was one of seven siblings, with Ronnie, 93, the only one still alive.

He had four children, John, Joyce, George and Ruth.

He also has 11 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

And at 100 years of age, the Lord is still Tom’s greatest love.

He now lives at St William’s Residential Home in Darlington.