Happy hundredth, Harry!

Drylaw couple complete remarkable double century

Drylaw man Harry Macdonald celebrated his 100th birthday with a double celebration last week. Harry knows all about hitting the magic number – for his late wife Nan also received a telegram from The Queen two years ago!

Harry and his family enjoyed a weekend party at Drylaw Parish Church and followed this up with a family meal at The Old Inn in Davidson’s Mains on his birthday on Tuesday, where Hearts-daft Harry was presented with a Hearts top by the Tynecastle club.

 

Harry and Nan met in the late 1930s when Harry was a Stockbridge butcher boy and Nan was helping to look after her father’s house. They shared many interests, particularly cycling and spent many happy weekends together on bike rides up to the north of Scotland.

The Second World War intervened but didn’t end the couple’s courtship – Harry got leave during naval service and he and Nan were married in Stockbridge Church on February 22 1941.

After the war the couple set up home in Drylaw where the Macdonalds had three children – George, Henry and Evelyn – and the clan has grown and grown, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren came from near and far to join the latest special birthday celebrations.

When Nan received her telegram Harry claimed he was  Nan’s ‘toy boy’ – at the age of 98! Well, Nan’s toy boy has now hit the hundred too!

Sadly Nan passed away in July 2014 – the devoted couple were married for 73 years – but I’m sure she would have been very proud and would have loved the celebrations.

Harry has been a pillar of the Drylaw community – a supporter of Drylaw Parish Church,  where he kept there gardens looking lovely for many years, and as a founder member of Drylaw Telford Community Council, one of the first in the city. Harry was also the obvious choice when the communtiy council established the Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship back in 1999 – an award also received by his son Henry, who is very much a chip off the old Macdonald block!

Centenarians are becoming increasingly common, but I’m pretty sure Nan and Harry will be Drylaw’s first centenarian couple!

Happy hundredth, Harry!