A life-long resident of Aberdeen has celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends from across the world.
Alice Coutts’s milestone birthday was marked with a special party at Deeside Care Home where she has lived for the past three years.
The pink-themed do was a complete surprise to Alice who said she “couldn’t stop crying” when she was reunited with friends and family.
“I haven’t seen some of these people for years,” she said. “That’s why I can’t stop crying.
“The party was a big shock.”
Alice received her invitation with her breakfast on Saturday morning, before her hairdresser turned up to make sure she looked picture perfect for the day.
The room was filled with joy as her loved ones – including grandchildren travelling from Thailand, Northern Ireland, Fort William and Glenelg – shared their well wishes.
Party goers were treated to cake decorated with a “100 and Fabulous” topper which sat in front of a board of photos from throughout Alice’s 100 years.
Alice spent most of the party sitting centre stage wearing her birthday sash and tiara, with a glass of bubbly in her hand.
She even received a visit from the Lord Provost David Cameron who dropped off a bunch of flowers and a signed card from the King.
Her family planned the party with help from staff at Deeside Care Home who described Alice as an “absolute gem”.
Alice Coutts born and raised in Aberdeen
Alice was born in the Lorne Buildings on Holburn Street on June 18, 1924 and spent much of her childhood in the Springbank Terrace boarding house run by her mother.
She attended Woodside School, the former Hilton Academy and Greg’s Business School in Aberdeen before staring her career at upmarket dressmakers, Peter Saunders.
During the Second World War, a teenage Alice Knight met her future husband Jimmy Coutts.
The pair tied the knot at Aberdeen East and Belmont Church in 1942 and shared their first home on Bedford Road.
Together, they had three children with their only daughter, Doreen, being born in Jimmy’s hometown of Kinneff in 1943.
Doreen was raised alongside her brothers, Bryan and Graeme, in the family home on Willowbank Road – where Alice’s mother, Granny Knight, lived upstairs.
Alice balanced family life with her thriving career and eventually became the chief pig supply officer at FMC where she loved working with local farmers.
A life ‘well-lived’
After almost three decades of marriage, Alice and Jimmy made the move to Sycamore Place where they enjoyed a “vibrant” social life.
As well as being regulars at the golf club in Bridge of Don, they would spend their weekends at traction engine rallies with fellow enthusiasts.
When Jimmy died in 1987, Alice joined the Solo Club which allowed her to explore new destinations such as Prague and the Black Forest.
Her family said she has always “lived life to the full” while being a constant “pillar of support and love” to her children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
In her later years, Alice lived at Ruthrieston and Dominies Court, and continued her charity work in the city with Save the Children and Cancer Research.
A stand-out moment for her was being invited to the garden party at Buckingham Palace for her services to charity.
As her 100th birthday approached, Alice’s family took some time to reflect on her “life well-lived” and asked her secret to longevity.
She replied: “Always enjoy an evening glass of wine”.
Conversation