Annie Gaught marked her birthday in style last week at Wellmeadow Lodge, in Newton Mearns, by cutting the ribbon to open its fete, before retiring to the lounge area for a private party with family and friends.
The centenarian is enjoying the attention her age is attracting, including telegrams from the Queen, which she first received aged 100, again at 105, and every year since, as well as title of the oldest resident at the East Renfrewshire home.
It's thought she may be the second oldest woman in Scotland, behind fellow 108-year-old Clare Dawson.
Annie was born in 1904 near Exeter, Devon, and has lived through two world wars, 26 Prime Ministers, four Kings and a Queen, as well as the many advances in technology the 20th Century brought, such as the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928 and the invention of the aeroplane, television and the computer.
She married husband Alfred in 1927, aged 23, and had her son Terry in 1935 when she was 31.
Alfred who was a gardener, once worked for the Bishop of Exeter, while Annie spent most of her working life as a domestic help. Alfred passed away in 1987, aged 86, and the family came to Scotland soon after.
Annie moved to Well-meadow Lodge six years ago, after living with son Terry and his wife, Margaret, in Barrhead.
And despite her age, she keeps active with hobbies, crosswords and watching horse racing and snooker on the TV.
Terry, Margaret and Annie's grandchildren Malcolm and Angela, and three great grand-daughters – Jennah, 18, Annie, 14, and seven-year-old Rubie – all gathered to help make her birthday extra special.
Annie puts her age down to a combination of good food, hard work, being teetotal and not smoking.
Terry, now 77, said: "It's marvellous how someone can live to this age."
Wellmeadow Lodge, run by Care UK, is also home to two 101-year-olds and a 103-year-old.
Home manager Marcia Stewart said: "Annie is quite a character. She's always telling us stories and until a couple of years ago was still knitting."
lalita.augustine@ eveningtimes.co.uk
