ONE of the oldest residents in Essex has died. Great-grandmother Gladys Rowland died aged 106 on Tuesday at the Firstlings care home in Heybridge.
Gladys' daughter, Peggy Ager, who lives in Springfield with husband Neville, said: "She was a wonderful mother.
"She really did a lot for me and will be greatly missed by all the family.
"Mum went fully blind 28 years ago due to glaucoma and has three great-grandchildren that she's never seen."
Gladys was born in May 27, 1906 in Tiptree but moved to Spirits Hall, Great Totham when she was five, where her father had a smallholding and large cherry orchard.
Mrs Ager added: "She was the eldest of four children, and had a sister and two brothers, but she outlived them all.
"Since mum passed away everyone has been asking what the was secret to her long life.
"But, to be honest, I don't really know.
"I think it was hard work, they worked really hard in those days and I think that makes a difference, my husband Neville's mother lived to 101 as well, but I don't really know exactly what it is.
"My mum was wonderful but I wished I'd asked more questions, you don't really think about it when they're alive but now she's gone I wish I had."
Gladys went to school in Great Totham before moving to secondary school in Maldon.
And Peggy who is herself in her 80s, remembers her mum telling her about the pony and trap she used to ride.
She said: "Mum used to travel with her dad in the pony and trap taking cherries to Wilkins at Tiptree and to Witham to put them on the train to Covent Garden market.
"When they went to Maldon she often recalled how they left the pony at the bottom of Market Hill as it was too steep for him to pull the trap up the hill."
Gladys began her working life at Collingwood House in Witham and married her husband Cyril in 1930.
The couple lived in Witham until 1964 when they moved to Hatfield Peverel.
During the war Gladys worked in the grocery department of Witham Co-op while Cyril worked at Crittalls in Witham.
Mrs Ager added: "My father died in 1978 so she had been on her own for 34 years.
"She continued to live on her own even though she was completely blind until 2003 when she moved into Firstlings.
"She was very independent and cut her own lawn, she was a keen knitter and enjoyed going to church and regularly attended the Mothers Union and the Salvation Army Home League.
"We had a great celebration for her 100th birthday and she was a fantastic lady.
"We'll all miss her but I do feel that she is at peace now."
Gladys' funeral took place at St Andrew's Church, Hatfield Peveral on Tuesday.
