Sheffield woman celebrates 100th birthday by raising money for charity

Jessie Grayson, who was born in Attercliffe in 1919, marked the special milestone with a party and dedicated celebrations to Cancer Research UK by asking for donations to the charity instead of gifts.

She was joined by around 80 friends and family members, including her granddaughter Abbie Grayson, 53, who travelled from Queensland in Australia, for the party at Jessie’s home on East Bank Road on November 24.

The centenarian also received a special surprise when her great-grandaughter Jessy Grayson, 22, turned up shortly afterwards having also made the trip from down under.

Jessie’s daughter Jackie Grayson, 76, said: “She got around 120 cards and managed to collect about £600 for Cancer Research UK, a charity close to her heart as her youngest daughter had breast cancer and my partner had cancer.”

The eldest of three sisters, Jessie attended Woodbourn Road School as a child.

Sadly her father died when she was just 12, a time which was particularly difficult for her mother who was left to bring up three young children by herself.

In her 20's, Jessie married George Grayson at Attercliffe Church and went on to give birth to the couple’s only daughter.

She worked in one of Sheffield’s steel factories and later became a ward assistant at the Old Royal Hospital – a job she enjoyed for many years before eventually retiring.

The family lived in one of the non-traditional flat-roofed houses on East Bank Road for over four decades, during which time George passed away.

After the property was demolished some five years ago, Jessie moved a few doors away to live with her daughter Jackie, who is now her carer.

Despite everything, the centenarian’s war-time spirit still shines through as Jackie reflects on what family means to her mother.

She said: “Family is a big thing for her, we are all still quite close despite the distance. When I was younger my parents both worked hard and enjoyed nice holidays abroad.

“She always talks about the war and loves telling stories about that. Reaching 100 she just says she didn’t expect to live this long. Her eyesight is going but she’s still young at heart and has a good sense of humour.”

Revealing perhaps the secret to a long life, Jackie added: “Mum still enjoys a Guinness every day at 11am.”