Gladys celebrates her 100th birthday

A Norfolk woman who lived in Wells for 95 years was joined by her family in Welney as she turned 100 on Monday.Gladys Mayes, who grew up at the gatehouse on Market Lane in Wells, celebrated the milestone at Marifa Lodge Care Home in Welney with a tea party.

A Norfolk woman who lived in Wells for 95 years was joined by her family in Welney as she turned 100 on Monday.

Gladys Mayes, who grew up at the gatehouse on Market Lane in Wells, celebrated the milestone at Marifa Lodge Care Home in Welney with a tea party.

Although Mrs Mayes suffers from dementia, her niece Maureen Dye said: “She's been very happy in herself. She's laughing so that's very good. She looks very good for 100. You wouldn't know it.”

Mrs Mayes, who married her husband Walter in 1933, was a keen fundraiser for the Wells Town Football club and Wells Memorial Institute. Her and her husband also had an allotment where they had chickens and sold the eggs.

Mrs Dye said: “Although they had hoped to have children unfortunately there were none. Gladys was a proud, diligent housewife and a good cook. She was often singing the popular songs of the day. Her cats and flowers were a great joy. Theirs was a very happy marriage until Walter died in 1981.”

Mrs Mayes was born in Wells, where her father was a plate layer for the Great Eastern Railway, and lived there until she moved to the care home in Welney.

Mrs Dye said: “Gladys still enjoys singing and being with people and is appreciative of the help she is given.”