General News
7 August, 2022
Roy’s secret to living 100 years
KNOWN for his love for horses and his family, Mareeba man William Roy Wilson has marked his 100th birthday with a free haircut at his favourite barber shop.
Roy, who became a centenarian on 22 July, has four children – Debbie, Ron, Steven and Kevin – along with nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
To commemorate his milestone, Roy’s “go-to” barber shop, Kingpin Barbers in Atherton, gave him a free haircut.
Doing well for his age, Roy attributes his longevity to sugar, Scratchies and a punt on the races.
Born in Normanton on 22 July 1922, Roy built his first home in Cairns in 1959 where he would come home after work and make his own bricks.
In 1970, Roy returned to Normanton with his family where he ran the council caravan park for three years.
He left Normanton in 1973, coming to Mareeba and buying a farm on Martin Ave where he has spent most of his later life.
Roy’s passion has always been his racehorses – Roy trained and rode his own horses, having his last race as a jockey at the age of 69 with his brother Jack Wilson when he was 71 at the Atherton Turf Club – they were the oldest jockeys to ride together in a race.
For the past five years, Roy has been living with his daughter Debbie Jerome and her husband Raymond.
