The care team at Orford House, our Coulsdon-based residential care home, kept the Christmas Spirit alight as they helped resident, Gloria Cheeseman, celebrate her landmark 96th Birthday on Christmas Day. Gloria, who was born on 25th December 1930, made Orford House her home in June 2023 when she and her friend both moved there together.
“My best friend Winnie and I decided the care home was the perfect place for us both to live as we loved the pretty house, its grounds and the wonderful care team,” said Gloria. Gloria grew up in Newry in Northern Ireland, known as ‘The Gateway to the North’. Located amidst The Mourne Mountains and on the borders of ‘Game of Thrones®’ country, Gloria loved playing outside in the beautiful countryside and attended Browlee School.
“I wasn’t very academic, but enjoyed the art, crafts and sewing classes,” added Gloria. “I had a collection of dolls and made all their outfits, so when I left school, I carried on and became a Seamstress.”
In actual fact, Gloria was a Seamstress in Harrods in London’s Knightsbridge area for many years. “I moved to London when I met my Husband, Ken,” added Gloria. “I was also an Usherette at The Streatham Astoria, a very grand cinema on Streatham High Road. One of my work colleagues was a lovely girl called Diana Dors who later became one of the country’s leading actresses and the UK’s very own Marilyn Monroe.” Gloria loved to go dancing. “Our favourite place to dance was The Locarno Ballroom in Streatham. It was a fantastic Art Deco building which was opened back in 1929 by the Band Leader, Billy Cotton. I was the original ‘Dancing Queen’,” continued Gloria. Gloria and Ken married in 1951, and the happy couple became parents to two sons, Peter and Clifford, and Gloria is also a proud Grandmother to two Grandsons, Michael and Tom. “As well as having a job in the then famous Bloomfield Bakers, when Peter and Clifford were growing up, I worked as a Dinner Lady at their school, Clapham Manor in Clapham, South West London which, believe it or not, has a very long history as it appeared in The Doomsday Book as Clopeham, which means homestead or an enclosure near a hill,” added Gloria.
Gloria also has some rather famous and historic relative connections. “I am related to John King, the sole survivor of the incredibly sad and tragic Burke and Wills Expedition where Robert Burke and William Wills died trying to be the first Europeans to cross Australia from South to North in 1860. Mr Burke and Mr Wills passed away of starvation, but my relative, John, survived by living with the local Aboriginal people until he was rescued. “My second cousin is the famous Irish Tenor, Joseph McLaughlin who is better known as Josef Locke, The Singing Bobby, as he was originally a Policeman with The Royal Ulster Constabulary. He had to change his name to Josef Locke as his real name was too long to fit on theatre bills,” added a laughing Gloria.
For Gloria’s Christmas Day birthday, the care team made sure she had a wonderful day. “As Gloria’s birthday is Christmas Day, we wanted to ensure she had an extra special day,” said Michelle Kennett, the Registered Manager at Orford House. “We put on a luxury Pamper session which Gloria thoroughly enjoyed and threw her a Christmas Day party, complete with cards, gifts and a delicious birthday tea and cake which she enjoyed with all her care home friends.”
“Gloria is a delightful lady and gets involved and participates in most of the meaningful activities I host at the care home,” added Mary Bradley, the Activities Coordinator at Orford House.
“Gloria’s favourite pastimes include the arts and crafts sessions, flower arranging, knitting and she’s always at our armchair exercise classes. Gloria also loves our regular sing-along afternoons and never misses a performance by our frequent wide range of entertainers.”
“I do love living at Orford House, there’s always something taking place or an activity to join in with – and the food is so tasty too. I’m particularly fond of the roast dinners, fish and chip suppers and Shepherd’s Pie. Everyone at the care home made my Christmas Day birthday so special and wonderful for me, it was a really lovely day. I am so grateful to everyone who arranged it for me, I was a very lucky lady,” concluded Gloria.
Find out more about Orford House care home by calling 020 8660 2875 or emailing [email protected].