James Terry Court resident celebrates 102nd birthday

A resident at James Terry Court, in Croydon, has celebrated her 102^nd birthday. To mark the special milestone, Gladys Wilson enjoyed a celebration with her family, her fellow residents and the staff at the care home, who made a cake for her to enjoy.

A myriad of experiences

Gladys was born on Purley Way, West Croydon, on 11^th November 1919, exactly one year after the end of World War One. She married her husband, John, in July 1939 at Croydon Parish Church. The following year, they had a daughter, Margaret.

Gladys’ first job was at Epsom Hospital, where she worked as a care assistant for a couple of years. She had various jobs throughout her life, but the one she enjoyed the most was working on an assembly line in a factory, making optic measures for spirits. She said:

The camaraderie was more important to me than the job!

Sadly, her husband passed away in 1983, and Gladys lived on her own until she moved to James Terry Court in September 2017. Gladys has two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

One of her hobbies is gardening, as she gets a lot of pleasure from growing plants and vegetables – a trait she inherited from her parents, who cultivated their own vegetable plot in their garden.

How to have a long life

When asked how she manages to keep her youthful looks, Gladys gave this piece of advice:

You’ve got to look after yourself and make the most of your life – you never know what’s around the corner!

Lucy Fernandes, one of the Activities Coordinators at James Terry Court, said:

It was great to help Gladys celebrate this remarkable milestone. She is a fascinating lady with an amazing sense of humour!

[Summary: Resident Gladys Wilson celebrates her 102nd birthday with family, friends and staff at James Terry Court, in South Croydon]