Worthing firefighters visit former senior leading firewoman for her 100th birthday

The crew from Black Watch at Worthing Fire Station was invited to meet Gladys Jones by her daughters. They really wanted their mum to have a fire engine visit her at family-run care home The Shelley, in Shelley Road, for her milestone birthday.

Michael Coudray, crew manager at Worthing Fire Station, said: “It was an absolute honour to meet Gladys on such a special day. Here at Black Watch we all felt so privileged to meet someone that paved the way for us modern day firefighters.

“Gladys’ rank as a leading firewoman equivalates to the rank that I currently hold, so I felt particularly connected to her role within the fire service.

“It was a pleasure to hear her stories of serving at such a perilous time. She really is a hero.”

Gladys was born on January 22, 1922, and joined the fire brigade at the age of 19. She was based at Preston Circus from 1941 until 1944 and worked in the control room, where she was responsible for dispatching crews to fires from Brighton to Shoreham.

Chief fire officer Sabrina Cohen-Hatton said: “Being a firefighter stereotypically has connotations with being a man’s job. However, Gladys has been proving those stereotypes wrong for over 80 years by helping the residents of Sussex during the very darkest of times.

“No matter how many years go by, Gladys will always be part of our fire family and I am so happy that Worthing Black Watch were able to help make her birthday a day to remember.”

Gladys returned to Preston Circus Fire Station for her 80th birthday and firefighters formed a guard of honour to welcome her on her first visit since serving there in the Second World War.

That surprise birthday treat was organised by Gladys’ husband Geoffrey, who she met while he was training to be a naval officer at Lancing College.

Meeting firefighters from Worthing for her 100th birthday gave her another opportunity to talk over old times.

Andy Bown, registered manager at The Shelley, said: “We were delighted when Black Watch agreed to come to The Shelley and offer Gladys their best wishes on her big day.

“They all spoke for ages, exchanging stories from their careers and comparing notes on how things have changed over the past eight decades.”

Also in the news: Shoreham war hero who was interviewed on BBC documentary dies aged 106

See also: Sussex music charity backed by Rag ’n’ Bone Man announces opening date for its new Worthing venue

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