Glasgow gran Ella Campbell celebrates 100th birthday as secrets of her longevity revealed

Ella Campbell grew up in Kinning Park and has lived between Glasgow and East Renfrewshire all her life.

Well-known in the community for working at a Kinning Park laundry first, and then as a butcheress in Clarkston, she recently moved into the 3 Bridges Care Home in King’s Park, but relatives say she is still “full of beans”.

The “monarch” of the family, as she is affectionately called, celebrated the milestone with a big party on Saturday, surrounded by family, which includes six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

“She is just amazing,” said Ella’s daughter, Agnes Taylor, 73.

“We decided to get the boat out for her. She was very excited and thrilled to see all the family because after Covid she hasn’t seen most of them for two years.”

Ella with her first great-great-grandson.

Ahead of the celebrations, Ella’s niece, Susan Wallace, said: “She’s larger than life, I’ve always adored her.

“She’s always full of beans, until a few years ago she was still going on cruises and things.

“We had a big get-together a few years ago with what we call ‘the monarchs of the family’, my aunt Ella and my mum, who will be 90 this year, so it will be nice to have the family reunited.”

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One of six brothers and sisters, Ella is not the only member of the family to have been blessed with the longevity gene.

Her mother, Agnes’ and Susan’s gran, died just a few days before reaching 101.

For Agnes, her dad's pampering might have been key.

“He was an absolute gentleman who just worshipped my mum and did everything for her, so he was a huge loss when he passed in 2005,” she said.

Ella was born on May 28, 1922, in Kinning Park.

At 14, she joined a local laundry and made an impression with her appearance and speech, which earned her the task of visiting anyone who would complain about the service.

Her future husband James lived just around the corner from her, but they ended up meeting at a dance in Dunoon.

They married in 1940, when she was only 18.

Ella, with husband James Campbell, and their first-born Helen.

“She always said that one day she was skipping and the next day she was a married woman,” recalled Agnes.

The couple had four children. Sadly, two of them passed away years ago, still in their 60s.

In the 50s, the family moved to Mansewood, and then Giffnock.

It was during World War II, when most men were joining the military, that Ella became a butcheress.

Ella, with daughter Helen (left) and son John (right). Both Helen and John passed away in their 60s, leaving Ella heartbroken.

Agnes also puts down her mum’s old age to her active lifestyle.

“She took care of four children and her elderly mum and then worked well beyond retirement age,” she said.

“She and my dad were members of the Giffnock North Athletics Club, they were both carpet bowls champions and used to go dancing every Saturday.”

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Although Ella always enjoyed excellent health, she moved into sheltered accommodation in 2001, after experiencing issues with her hips, and then to the Southside care home in November last year.

“She now has a little bit of dementia but she is strong as an ox,” added Agnes.

“She has had a few health scares but she always bounces back, she is truly remarkable.”

Ella in 2022.