Centenarian Gladys sharp as ever

Gladys Clarke celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

On getting a letter from the Queen, 100-year-old Gladys Clarke exclaimed, "Nice card, when's the cheque coming?"

The centenarian has a cheeky sense of humour which, along with a bubbly nature, has kept her looking and feeling remarkably young.

"I think when you are happy, you feel different somehow," she says.

That and a bit of a "tipple" every now and then - perhaps brandy or a touch of whisky.

Born in 1915, Gladys has lived through two world wars. As a young woman, she remembers taking her mother's parrot, among other treasured possessions, to a shelter in the backyard during air raids.

When World War II broke out, she was a mother and recalled a train stopping outside Clapham Junction amid an air raid. She pushed her firstborn, Michael, under the seat to keep him safe but refused to follow as she didn't want to dirty her new coat.

Growing up in Hornsey, London, Gladys had a close bond with her mother.

"She was the kind of mum you could talk to. I could tell her things whereas some you can't - she was a darling."

Her father was employed by British road haulage firm Carter Paterson. There were also brother Bill and two sisters, Win and Beattie - all of whom have passed away.

Son Michael had three children - Richard, Danni and Carrie - who still live in Cornwall, England.

Gladys' first husband died in World War II and she later married his friend, John Clarke. The couple had a son, Peter, and spent more than 50 years together before he died at 92.

The pair spent most of their lives in London before moving to sunny Hawke's Bay in their 70s to be closer to Peter and his family.

"We arrived right in the middle of cyclone Bola [1988] - I almost turned around and went home."

They moved into a specially built "granny flat" in front of their son's Greenmeadows property before Gladys shifted into the Atawhai rest home in Taradale six years ago.

Gladys is still a huge fan of Her milestone birthday was celebrated with cake, cards and a gathering of friends and family at Atawhai yesterday afternoon.