Farewell to '˜Little Glad' - one of Britain's oldest residents

Gladys - known as Little Glad - loved life, bingo and dancing.

She was born on July 2 1910 and marked her milestone 106th birthday last year with a party at St John’s Hall in Crawley where she was a regular weekly bingo player.

Despite her age, Gladys was always determined to lead an active social life and was a member of several Crawley clubs.

She loved dancing and only gave up at the ripe old age of 97.

Gladys, from Furnace Green, died on June 1.

She was born in London with four brothers and two sisters and used to help run her father’s sweet shop after he was blinded during a gas attack in the First World War.

Her first job was with Charles Lex Bookbinders before she went on to work for Peerless in Dean Street, London, where she made lampshades.

Over her 40 years with the company she made shades for the Queen, the Duchess of Kent, the King of Norway and a host of celebrities including singer Tom Jones and actor Wilfred Pickles.

‘Little Glad’ maintained she had led a ‘wonderful life’.

She said as she marked her 100th birthday nearly seven years ago: “I wish I could still dance. I’d dance right now if I could.”

It was a fitting dance scene that decorated Gladys’ specially-made cake at her 106th birthday party organised for her last year by her local bingo club.

Friends paid tribute to her at her party, describing her as ‘a very unique sort of lady.’

One said: “She doesn’t make a big thing of her age. She just takes every day as it comes.”

Gladys leaves her daughter Jean, son-in-law Jim, two grandsons and two great grandsons.

‘Little Glad’ will be missed by all who knew her.

A funeral service will be held on Monday June 26, at 12.45pm in St Richard’s Chapel at the Surrey & Sussex Crematorium.