Former librarian Bessie Milne celebrates her 104th birthday with family and friends.
ISABELLA 'Bessie' Milne, who celebrated her 104th birthday yesterday, comes from a family of survivors.
The Braid Hill Nursing Home resident had five brothers who fought in the First World War, all of whom came back, and every one of her six sibl
ings – Willie, Maie, Johnny, Jimmy, Stewart and Don – lived well into their 90s.
Her father, Sam Milne, who worked as a typesetter with The Scotsman, lived into his 80s.
Linda Cervi, senior care assistant at Braid Hill Nursing Home, said: "She is a real character here, one of my favourites, and she keeps the rest of us in check.
"I don't know her secret to a long life but maybe it is because she eats eggs every day. She is happy as long as she gets her eggs for breakfast, dinner and tea."
Bessie, a former pupil of Flora Stevenson School, became a well-known face in Edinburgh's city library, after starting her career there, before moving to Corstorphine Library, from which she retired in 1969.
In 2002 she was invited to cut the ribbon to open the refurbished Corstorphine Library.
Bessie, the second youngest in the family, grew up in the Saughton area and said it was the happiest time in her life.
"My years growing up there were very enjoyable and we would be out playing all the time," she said.
"At that time there weren't any cars about so we could play where we liked but with no transport for long journeys, I did get sick of walking from time to time."
Bessie never married but her great love in life was golf and she was a member of Turnhouse and Longniddry golf clubs. A heavy smoker in her younger days, she could often be seen with a cigarette in her mouth as she played. However, she kicked the habit when cigarettes became "too expensive".
Her nephew, Harley Milne, said: "She is fun and strong-willed. When you have never been married and have no children, you do what you want to do and that is how she lived her life. She has a lot of family all over the world, as far away as Argentina and Australia, including great, great-nephews."
The full article contains 395 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
