Centenarian near Harborough with a perfect name for dancing will celebrate her 107th birthday

She might not be a seven-time Grammy Award-winner, but Saddington’s Gladys Knight loved to dance
Gladys Knight is set to celebrate her 107th birthdayGladys Knight is set to celebrate her 107th birthday
Gladys Knight is set to celebrate her 107th birthday

A centenarian near Harborough with a perfect name for dancing is set to celebrate her 107th birthday.

Gladys Knight (not the famous singer known as the Empress of Soul!) was born on August 31, 1915 and lived with her parents, four sisters and two brothers on Syston Road, near Syston in Leicester.

She has spent years in the area – moving to The Grange Care Home in Saddington in 2015.

Looking back at her life she says her parents were very loving and caring and remembers her mum being a ‘fantastic cook’. While her mother looked after the children her dad worked at the former railway station on Belgrave Road, which closed in 1962.

Gladys told the Mail that she recalls life during the war being very hard, with particularly vivid memories of hiding under tables when the air raid sirens would go off, and saving up coupons to buy food and clothes.

As she grew up she became a cleaner, but the highlight of her week was going to dancing at village halls with her best friend – who shared the same name.

In 1940 she met late husband Frank at a dance, and later that year they married and lived together on Shirley Street in Leicester.

A spokeswoman from The Grange Care Home – which is based on Smeeton Road – said: “Gladys arrived at The Grange on 7 March 2015. She is very independent and relies very little on the carers.

“We are honoured to celebrate her 107th birthday at our care home.”

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