Sing-along birthday for Lilian Adams, borough’s oldest woman

Published: 29 January
by PETER GRUNER

PROOF that age is no barrier to having a good time came when Islington’s oldest resident, 103-year-old Lilian Adams met the borough’s oldest-ever mayor, Councillor Anna Berent, on Wednesday for a good old-fashioned  sing-along.
Lib Dem Cllr Berent, 82, and Lily sang heartily together at the Highbury New Park Day Centre as a band played favourites like We’ll Meet Again. They were joined by dozens of other pensioners.
Lily lives at Isledon House Old People’s Home in Newington Green but attends the day centre twice a week.  The event was part of the celebrations for her  birthday.
A retired seamstress from Barnsbury, Lily comes from a long-living family. Her sister Elsie, who also lived at Isledon House and died last year, was 101, and two cousins, Alice and Ethel, lived to 102 and 104.
Apart from being slightly deaf, Lily felt fine. “I don’t think I could get up and dance, but apart from that I’m OK,” she said.
“Don’t ask me how I’ve managed to survive to 103. I’ve never smoked or drunk very much. But I do enjoy a good sing-song.”
Lily’s son Rod, 70, travelled from his home in Cornwall to join her. He told how he had tried to persuade Lily to  move to  Cornwall.
He said: “Mum didn’t want to leave Islington. She had all her friends here – but probably just as important, she didn’t want to leave her beloved Arsenal.”