Warrington woman credits old age to whiskey and raw onions

She says her time working on a farm until she was 29, eating raw onions regularly, and “a tot of whiskey before bed”.

Gladys Pye’s birthday celebrations were at one-point last week looking in serious trouble. With her care home being shut down to visitors over a flu and covid outbreak, putting her children Rob and Janet’s plans for a musical birthday party into jeopardy.

Further, after being devastated by the Queen’s passing, the Walton great-grandmother's hopes for a card from the King had been similarly scuppered after Buckingham Palace announced they would have to temporarily suspend congratulatory letters being sent for 100th birthdays.

After being told about this Gladys’ 10-year-old great-grand-son, Ethan Hollowell, ran off to his room and produced a letter to be sent off to Buckingham Palace insisting they sort this out for her birthday.Ethan Hollowell (L) and Gladys Pye (R) with their letter and congratulations from the King and Queen Consort (Image: Janet Simpson)

It was to the family’s shock when they received a letter back, thanking Ethan and assuring him that a card would be sent out for Gladys’ birthday.

Rob Pye, Ethan’s grandfather said “[Ethan] couldn’t believe his eyes to see the Buckingham Palace Crest on the envelope. Perhaps his letter did work after all.”

The letter Ethan received (Image: Janet Simpson)

This news was made doubly exciting when word came through that the Victoria House care home in Grappenhall at which she was staying would be making special dispensation to allow Gladys not one but two parties: one in the morning with family and a musical birthday party in the afternoon.

As well as being a mother of two, Gladys is also a grandmother of three, and great grandmother of two, including Ethan. 

The parties felt doubly important to this extended family, after Gladys survived a scare with coronavirus three years ago in which she was rushed to hospital. Rob said that since then Gladys would regularly ask: "Do you think I'll be alive for my 100th birthday?" 

The party went ahead and Amelia Brown, 15, a Stockton Heath high school student played Happy Birthday for the family in the morning and a selection of songs in the afternoon from the 1920s right up to the 1950s for the residents.

Rob said: "The star of the show for her was the card from King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla which she thought she wasn’t going to get. To see her face when she opened it was a joy to behold and she gave Ethan the biggest hug ever when she heard that his letter to Buckingham Palace had done the trick.

"Our grateful thanks to all at Victoria House for making it such a special day for Gladys.”