She has seen 19 different Prime Ministers enter Downing Street, 24 Olympic Games take place and watched the sun set an unbelievable 38,325 times.

And as Hannah Cripps celebrated her 105th birthday with family and friends yesterday afternoon, the charismatic and sprightly centenarian said she can’t quite believe she has reached the incredible milestone.

The great-grandmother is Woodside Park Synagogue’s oldest and longest serving member and says she has watched Finchley change since she moved to the area from her birthplace in London’s East End in 1941.

The youngest of two siblings, Mrs Cripps worked for many years as a milliner in the West End, making high fashion hats for the capital’s most exclusive stores including Whiteley and Selfridges.

Many of Mrs Cripps’ creations were worn by the UK’s rich and famous at high profile public events like the Ascot horse races.

She met her late husband Monty at the Hammersmith Palais in the late 1930s and the pair were married for almost 60 years before his death.

In 1941, they moved to Wentworth Avenue in Finchley, where two years later Mrs Cripps later gave birth to her first and only child, Norman.

For the past 12 years the grandmother-of-three has lived at Rubens House retirement home in Ballards Lane, where staff put on a party to celebrate her birthday.

Children from the North Finchley Synagogue made a special card for the birthday girl and a boys’ choir from the Menorah Primary School in Golders Green performed at the celebrations.

Mrs Cripps said: “It has been lovely, especially to have my family here. I still can’t quite believe it – I just wonder where all the time went.

“I think the secret to such a long life is remaining independent, which I still am. Every day becomes special and, given the Almighty’s will, I’ll be here a long while yet.”