A FAMILY has reached an extraordinary milestone of having five generations – again.

Frederick Hill, of Abbott Road, Dovercourt, was delighted to welcome his first great-great-grandchild, named Lily, into the world.

Her birth was extremely special for the Hill family as it marked the second time in their history when they have had five generations living at the same time.

At 94 years old, Frederick is the eldest member of the family and it is the second time he has been part of a five-generations family.

The family first celebrated reaching the milestone in 1945 when Frederick’s eldest son, John, was born.

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He said proudly: “There are not many people who live long enough to be part of five generations.”

Frederick said he has five children, 23 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, who all live in the area.

His children, John, Ron, Willy, Geoffrey and Janis, live in Dedham, Bradfield, Ardleigh and Mistley.

He said: “They call in to see me at least once a week and I have a good relationship with all the boys and their wives.”

But he said Christmas time can be quite overwhelming with as many great-grandchildren and grandchildren as he has.

“I stay out of the way at that time of year, but they all get some money from me as a present,” he said.

Frederick was born in Felixstowe and moved to Lawford with his parents when he was a young boy.

He left school at the age of 14 to work on a farm in Lawford with his father, who was also named Frederick, before joining the Navy in 1941, where he served until 1946.

He said: “1945 was the first time I have ever heard of five generations and if you did not live before the war, you will have a job to understand there was a different way of life for us.

“Most people would retire at 65 and we did not get many people living too much longer.

“You would get the odd person in their 80s and 90s, but not many.”

Frederick said the key to a large and long-living family is stamina.

He added: “I am joking – I don’t actually know.

“It is just one of those things and I have never heard of two lots of five generations in the same family.”