Care home residents celebrate double centenary celebrations

Jessie and Ella Clark (no relation) toasted to their centenary years on July 4 and 5 respectively, surrounded by family, friends, and carers.

Jessie and Ella are residents at Renaissance Care's Rosepark and Croftbank Home care homes, separated by just a mile in South Lanarkshire.

Both homes hosted parties with birthday cakes for the much-loved residents, who each received letters from the King to commemorate the momentous occasion.

Ella, who is originally from Nerston in East Kilbride, was the recipient of a special visit from South Lanarkshire's Provost office.

She was then presented with a special book from her son Hugh, 67, and daughter Issy, 62, who spent months compiling their mother's photos, letters, and personal notes to chart Ella's incredible life from birth to centenary in Uddingston.

When Ella was just 14 she fell off a swing and broke her hip, leaving her bedridden for seven years.

A collection of handwritten messages from friends and family are contained in the book alongside photographs and family tree diagrams from that difficult time in Ella's life.

Hugh and Issy only recently discovered that hidden amongst the messages from her many visitors was a note from a young man named Jim Clark, whose frequent visits helped boost young Ella's spirits during her recovery.

Ella Clark (Image: Ella Clark)

Ella's message from future husband Jim (Image: Ella Clark)

The pair formed a close friendship from 1939 onwards and would eventually go on to marry.

Hugh said: “It’s just been incredible to look back over our mum’s life and uncover all these incredible notes, pictures and memories, especially between her and dad.

“It’s so nice to see how many friends visited her so much when she couldn’t go outside and some of the sayings, rhymes and one-liners they’d write in mum’s autograph book were just so clever that, even reading them now, 80 years or so later, you still laugh at the humour and intelligence with which they’ve been written.”

Meanwhile, Jessie, who is originally from Aberdeen, was treated to a spectacular reminder of her youth spent travelling up and down the UK with her husband John on the back of their beloved red Lambretta scooter.

With sheer delight, Jessie got the chance to toast to her centenary year by climbing onboard an identical model brought into her care home.

Jessie and daughter Irene Kirkland (Image: Jessie and daughter Irene Kirkland)

Grandson Craig Kirkland with Jessie (Image: Grandson Craig Kirkland with Jessie)

Kindly supplied by local 'scooterist' Callum Frew, 36, Jessie was tickled pink at the sight of the 1963 Lambretta Li 125 - which perfectly matched her red party dress.

She said: "It was just wonderful. It brought back so many happy memories and really made my day.”

Callum added: “Her wee face lit up when she saw it. I was quite happy just to help a fellow scooter girl out.

"My aunt told me about Jessie’s trips and how she had her own red Lambretta back in the day, so it worked out perfectly for her that I basically have the same model.

“She was fit as a fiddle and once she got a wee hand up onto it, she was happy as could be.”

Jessie Clark with Callum Frew (Image: Jessie Clark with Callum Frew)

Jessie previously worked as a weaver, making white cloth that was used to manufacture officers’ uniforms in the Second World War.

Following this, she worked at the prestigious Marischal College, providing silver service catering to the esteemed academics of Robert Gordon University.

Yvonne Richardson, operations director at Renaissance Care said: "It’s pretty remarkable to have two women with the same surname celebrate their 100th birthdays within 24 hours of each other – separated by just a mile across two of our care homes – but caring for our residents with Renaissance Care offers up these lovely surprises.

“Jessie and Ella are two women who have lived very different but equally incredible lives full of stories and beautiful moments, and we were only too happy to help them toast this milestone."