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At the impressive age of 79, a pensioner has bagged her third degree, showcasing that age truly is no barrier to further education. Pat Wetherell, who used to run a sub-post office,
celebrated her latest academic triumph - a master's degree in history - alongside family and friends. Originally from Charltons, near Guisborough, North Yorkshire, Pat completed her
first degree back in the 70s – an Open Degree in humanities and understanding society. The mum-of-two's journey into academia resumed when she set up her sub-post office and general
store and became fascinated with the mining history of Charlton, leading her to pursue a history degree at a traditional brick university. Her most recent academic feat, a master’s degree in
history from the Open University, was spurred on by the achievements of her great niece Danielle and her son Gary, who both obtained master’s qualifications. Reflecting on earlier times,
Pat, whose husband Ivan secured a maths degree in the same era, reminisced: "When the children were in bed on an evening, my husband and I sat, one at each end of the table, with our
books out. Those were the days." She expressed her shared belief with her husband about their missed educational opportunities, saying: "Both my husband and I felt that we had
missed out educationally and we jumped at the chance of taking a degree and never regretted it." Delving into what sparked her interest, Pat explained: "I became interested in the
stories related by the ex-miners and their wives, which led to my interest in local history. I collected memorabilia and taped interviews." The triumphant graduate enjoyed her moment
during a graduation ceremony at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall recently, where she was lauded for completing her master's degree. At 79-years-old, Pat is now aiming to start a PhD,
which she hopes to complete by the time she turns 80, and joked that she may finally slow down after that milestone. Pat said: "I'm still raring to go and hope to begin a PhD
shortly. "Not anything particularly outstanding about that but I will be 80-years-old in September. I might call it a day after that if I can." JOIN TEESSIDE LIVE'S WHATSAPP
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