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teaching Maths at Stoke Damerel High School<br />
for Girls where she had herself attended as a<br />
pupil. Her transition from dancer to teacher came<br />
naturally when her own teacher retired and she<br />
found herself taking the classes. Plymouth was<br />
heavily bombed during the War and Gladys recalls<br />
the logistics involved with organising dance<br />
venues; it had been necessary then to check which<br />
church halls still had a roof before the meeting on<br />
Thursday evenings! Gladys danced with EFDSS<br />
clubs in Exeter, Plymouth and Cornwall. She<br />
attended the County Club where Margaret Grant<br />
was teacher, who Gladys always said improved<br />
her dancing, describing her as “ … a respected<br />
lady but an awesome teacher!” This was in the<br />
days when exams were often taken and Gladys<br />
achieved the highest marks in country dancing.<br />
Gladys states she has always enjoyed dancing,<br />
teaching and calling,<br />
Dick Little has known Gladys through the<br />
Cornwall Choughs and <strong>Devon</strong> District Playford<br />
Club since 1985.<br />
Muriel Langford first met Gladys when she went<br />
to Exeter Playford Club in 1947. She recalled<br />
Gladys as a competent Chairman of the County<br />
Club for many years.<br />
Margaret Anderson came up from Cornwall<br />
about 45 years ago and learned American Square<br />
dances from Gladys at Swarthmore in the 1960’s.<br />
Dell Lloyd met Gladys in 1954 when Gladys<br />
came to the Chough Club in Cornwall. She<br />
describes her as “… having a sense of humour; an<br />
absolute darling; always very calm, positive and<br />
encouraging, especially to newcomers”.<br />
Norah Bolt and friends know Gladys through<br />
the Plymouth classes in Emmanuel Church. They<br />
found Gladys amazing – everything was prepared.<br />
She was so relaxed and tolerant, they all laughed<br />
together at their mistakes. She had a gentle touch,<br />
never putting strain on people.<br />
Bernard Polkinghorne represented the Plymouth<br />
Forum, who had nothing but praise for Gladys’s<br />
teaching. This was a mixed class of about 30<br />
retired men and women run by her from about<br />
1990 to 2005. The group had an annual dance<br />
at Eggbuckland with Beryl Palmer as pianist<br />
and these Christmas dances would attract lots of<br />
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