Moray woman celebrates 100th birthday with family and friends

A lady who certainly doesn’t look or seem 100 years old has nevertheless reached that amazing milestone.

Everybody agrees that Isa Grant is remarkable for her age, as you can see for yourself in the video below:

Isa was born on January 20, 1924, at her parents’ home on Church Street in Lossiemouth.

Her mother, along with two of Isa’s three sisters, died within a short time of each other when the youngster was aged just seven.

Later her father, a fisherman, passed away as well, leaving Isa an orphan at the age of 14.

She supported herself by moving in with another family, serving as a nanny to their seven children and also doing washing and cleaning.

Isa recalls: “It was hard work but I didn’t know anything else, so you just get on with it.”

During the Second World War she began working at the Thunderton in Elgin, which had been temporarily turned from a pub into a billet for servicemen and their families.

She adds: “The owners were very kind to me. They paid for me once to go to Glasgow on a holiday.”

Isa met her husband Andrew, a blacksmith in Rothes, through a mutual friend one day while they travelling on the same bus.

The pair would go on to marry in 1952, choosing a registry office instead of a church because money was tight.

It was in Rothes that their daughters, Norma and Margaret, were born.

A keen dancer, Isa also kept fit by playing bowls at the village club.

A non-smoker “even when it was fashionable”, Isa was teetotal as well.

She was joined for her birthday at Anderson’s Care home in Elgin by family in addition to friends from Rothes.

Amongst the other well-wishers were Moray’s MSP Richard Lochhead as well as Sandy Keith, the Elgin councillor, and John Cowe, Moray Council’s civic leader.

Congratulatory cards were also send by the Lord Lieutenant of Moray and by King Charles and Queen Camilla.