A FORMER Coalsnaughton woman celebrated her 100th birthday in style with a room full of family and friends.

Elizabeth Thomson had guests from as far away as Canada to celebrate her big day.

Provost Derek Stewart and pupils from Tillicoultry Primary School also joined Elizabeth at the Kirk Care home in Tillicoultry for a celebration.

The centenarian, however, took some persuading from the younger members of the family to have a party, but she very much enjoyed the event and getting to catch up with loved ones.

There’s a history of living to old age in Elizabeth’s family with one of her grandmothers living into her 90s and Elizabeth thinks not drinking or smoking has helped her reach 100.

When she was born, on October 27, 1916, the Great War was still raging; the battle of the Somme would take place weeks later; and David Lloyd George was prime minister.

She lived in Coalsnaughton with her grandparents who kept pigs, hens and other animals in a field near Coalsnaughton brae. Elizabeth helped look after her grandparents before getting a job in a shop.

Elizabeth married Bill Thomson in Tillicoultry in June 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War.

The happy couple had a reception at Coalsnaughton Village Hall that was attended by friends and family.

Elizabeth has very fond memories of the day and a wedding picture has pride of place in her sitting room.

Bill was exempt from the war due to his job as a lorry driver, but Elizabeth’s brother George served as a dispatch rider in the army and Elizabeth remembers the men of the town marching off to fight.

George survived the war and Elizabeth was delighted when he returned from service.

The couple had four children: a son, Joe, daughters Jemima and Elizabeth, and a daughter who died in infancy. Joe and Elizabeth both live in Canada.

lizabeth and her family and Joe’s family travelled to Scotland for the big day, but Joe sadly died a few years ago.

Some of the fondest memories Elizabeth has are of her younger days in Coalsnaughton.

She said: “There would be concerts and dancing in Coalsnaughton Hall and we’d go and have a rare time, just enjoying ourselves.”

At the time she and her family were well-known in the area and she said everyone knew everyone else, although the place has changed now.

As well as the usual assortment of gifts and cards there was a very special delivery, a birthday card from the Queen whose coronation Elizabeth remembers watching at a friend’s house.

Elizabeth explained: “We went to Mrs Keddie’s, she had a small television. The room was full of everybody watching at the coronation.”