Gardening, housework, driving and bowls for 100-year-old Sleaford woman

Friends and relatives threw the secret birthday bash for Kathleen Lake on Tuesday, June 4, at her regular haunt – Sleaford Indoor Bowls Club – where she has played for the past 19 years.

She explained: “I used to play golf at Blankney and Sleaford golf clubs, but got tired of getting wet, so I thought I would try bowls. I came to the bowls club and have played there ever since.

"I had a few goes with friends to get going and then joined in teams and have done that ever since,” she said.

“I like the social side of it and just enjoy it – I enjoy life!”

Kathleen admitted she had taken it a bit slower in the last 18 months but still plays most days and everyone in her team is willing to help.

She said she loves playing against other clubs: “My bowls partner is a younger man and we played in the county pairs final this year but lost.”

Independent Kathleen still drives herself around and proudly continues to do all her own housework and gardening.

She said: “I love driving. I learned to drive lorries when I was 18, in the war, bringing loads of stone hardcore to build the runways at airfield such as Great Steeping and East Kirkby.”

When the war was over she took on a job as a chauffeur for the directors of Ruston and Hornsby engineering works in Lincoln, but she gave that up when she met her late husband, ted, who died three years ago.

They enjoyed 76 years of married life, jointly running their electrical business and hardware shop.

"I’ve had a busy life and have enjoyed it,” she commented.

She has two daughters Jackie and Gill, three grandchildren Susie, Allie and Andrew, and four great grandchildren Tom, James, John and Francesca.

Kathleen said she had received a lovely birthday card from King Charles and Queen Camilla and as well as the party and buffet at the bowls club, Kathleen’s relatives planned a family meal on Saturday.