Inverness care home resident celebrates 105th birthday with relatives – some who travelled from as far as Australia
THERE was a special celebration at an Inverness care home when one of the residents marked her 105th birthday.
Catherine Frances Campbell, who lives at the Ach-an-Eas care home in Island Bank Road, celebrated with relatives including her niece, who had travelled all the way to the city from Australia.
She was born in Dumbarton and her parents were John, a wine and spirit merchant, and Ann, who was a housewife.
Miss Campbell was one of 11 children and her twin sister Margaret enjoyed similar longevity by reaching the age of 97.
When she left school she worked as a jeweller’s assistant at Dunlop’s in Dumbarton. And during World War II she worked in a munitions factory in London but she was reluctant to use bomb shelters – one bomb blast blew her from her bed across the room.
She was a single parent and her son Paul is now 76 and also lives in Inverness.
Miss Campbell moved to the Highland capital in 1994, when she was 80, after being burgled, mugged and hit by a car – all on the same day and without injury.
In her spare time she enjoyed walking, keeping up with current affairs and volunteered for many years for the Leukemia Foundation after one of her brothers died from the condition.
When asked what she thought the secret of a long life was, she said: “Everything in moderation and a little bit of what you fancy.”
Her niece, 67-year-old Patricia Hughes, lives in Sydney and tries to get to see her aunt at least once a year.
She said: “They were brought up with good, healthy food in a very nice environment and were very content – basically I think the family all lived to good ages. I think it’s just in the genes and they got a good start in life.”
Miss Campbell’s son said he thought it was “absolutely amazing” that his mother had reached such an age.
Her granddaughter Heather Jenkins said: “I used to call her Supergran because she’d be running around, playing football with my brother, and getting conkers out of the tree when she was in her 70s.”