'You mustn't give in to being old' – 100-year-old Huntly woman Betty Cosgrove celebrates landmark birthday
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A HUNTLY woman who celebrated her 100th birthday on August 10 urged people not to 'give in to being old'.
Betty Cosgrove was joined by around 35 friends and family members – some from as far afield as Norway – for a garden party on her big day.
She received numerous bouquets of flowers and hundreds of cards – including one from the King, which added to the one from the Queen that her and her late husband Travers received on their diamond wedding anniversary in 2010.
Most important of all, though, was spending time with loved ones, with the day also giving her the chance to meet her eight-week-old great grand-daughter – visiting from Trondheim, Norway – for the very first time.
Betty said: "It was nice for everyone to meet up. Some hadn't really met up before so it was a real bringing together of family.
"I had special, lovely, weather laid on for me, as well," she joked. "And a van-load of flowers came from the shop – I hope it did the flower shop a load of good!"
Betty was born in Edinburgh on August 10, 1923, 100 years to the day after her great grandfather, who fought in the Crimean War in the mid 1800s.
She was brought up in the capital, where she went to school. During World War II she attended Edinburgh University, which she graduated in 1944 with BSC in chemistry.
Betty continues to have a vivid memory of wartime, adding: "We tried to keep everything going as usual, but losing people was awful."
She married husband Travers in 1950 and moved to Reading, near London, in 1955, where she was a maths and chemistry teacher for 45 years.
However, her father belonged to Kennethmont and she often holidayed in Insch and Huntly while growing up, becoming fond of the area.
"I used to come to Huntly every summer," she said. "I had lots of relatives here and I always liked it. I always felt that I didn't belong to Edinburgh but I belonged to Huntly."
In 2000, Betty moved north to live in Huntly – moving in next door to her daughter Eileen, who has been living in the town since 1985. She said it felt like 'coming home'.
She regularly attended Strathbogie Drumblade Church, although nowadays tends to use video streaming service Zoom to virtually visit St Andrew's United Reformed Church in Reading.
A lot of Betty's time is dedicated to family. She has two daughters – Eileen and Isabel, who lives in Lenzie, near Glasgow – a grandson, a grand-daughter, a great grandson and a great grand-daughter.
Betty thanked her daughters and her carers for all the help they give her, adding: "Perhaps it should be them that are congratulated.
"My carers say they haven't anyone else to look after who is as old as me. I may be the eldest, but not at heart.
"You mustn't give in to being old. Once you start thinking 'I can't do that' then you'll find out you really can't."
Betty isn't one for following advice given by health experts, opting for more simple methods to keeping well.
"People are always saying to live so long you have to do so many steps per day – well I don't do that, and I don't do yoga either," she laughed.
"I don't do any of the things you are told you should! I always say what keeps me healthy is gardening."
