Home   News   Article

Jenny makes clean get away!


By Alan Beresford

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

REMARKABLE dedication to duty, the likes of which is rarely seen, was honoured by a local law practice when their stalwart cleaner headed for retirement – at the ripe old age of 92.

To dust no more...Jenny hangs up her duster for the last time. Picture: Eric Cormack.
To dust no more...Jenny hangs up her duster for the last time. Picture: Eric Cormack.

When most ladies were contemplating calling time on their working life, Jenny Duncan, of Scott Terrace in Buckie, was just getting to know her new employers Alexander George and Co, later to become Grant Smith Law.

Thirty-two years and a replacement hip later, Mrs Duncan finally called it a day on Wednesday, September 25 at a surprise lunchtime retirement bash at the practice’s East Church Street office in town.

It marked the end of a 60-year association with the building for the energetic nonagenarian.

She told the Advertiser: “I suppose you could say I’m part of the fittings here, I seemed to have come as part of the building when it changed hands.

“I’ve been with the law practice for 32 years but was here when it was a paint shop and then a bakery, which must be about 60 years altogether.

“I’ve enjoyed working here – there have been a lot of changes over the years.

“People have asked me for years when I was thinking of retiring but it’s kept me going and has got me

out and about. I’ve worked all my days.

“In fact, I’d still be working here now if it wasn’t for the fact that I had to have a replacement hip.”

Mrs Duncan may have been forced to finally hang up her mop for good, but she still plans to keep active.

“I like gardening and I’ve plenty to do – it’s getting messy with weeds,” she added.

Paying tribute to the redoubtable cleaner were Grant Smith Law director Margaret Nash and consultant George Wilson, who has worked with Mrs Duncan since the premises first became a law practice in the late 1980s.

Ms Nash commented: “I’ve known Jenny for about 25 years and she’s made a huge contribution to the firm.

“She really cared about the staff and the office, it was far more than just a job to her. In a lot of ways it was ‘her’ office.

“Jenny will be very much missed and we wish her all the best for her retirement.”

Mr Wilson praised Mrs Duncan’s dedication as second to none.

“Jenny’s an institution here,” he said. “Dedication isn’t the word for her approach.

“If I ever had to send the staff home early because of bad weather I always had to remember to tell Jenny not to come down to work because it was dangerous. Even if there was a lot of snow, she would have still come down through it on her bike.

“She was very loyal indeed and we’ll miss her."

Mrs Duncan was presented with gifts and flowers, plus a specially baked retirement cake.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More