Birthday celebrations surrounded by family

‘Real character’ George chalks up 105th birthday

An East Kilbride family gathered last week to celebrate a very special birthday.

Ida Commons and family got together to mark the 105th birthday of her dad, George Pollard.

And the family say only now is the great-grandfather showing signs of slowing down.

Ida – who moved to East Kilbride with her husband in 1967, a year after they got married – told the News about her “real character” of a father.

She said: “It’s only now that he is having to use a zimmer to get about a bit.

“He has Alzheimer’s now, but he was still cycling until he was 95. He was superfit his whole life. Everyone knows my dad –he’s a real character.

“He came into the house one day and said, ‘Ida, I think it’s about time I learned how to swim so I’ve just signed up to classes at the Dollan Aqua Centre’. He was 85.”

The eldest of three, George was born in Greenock on December 12, 1914 and was raised in the port with his brother Harry and sister Alma.

After school he started work at the town’s Royal Naval Torpedo factory before being moved by the company to their factory in Alexandria.

That saw the family – made up of George, wife Peggy, daughter Ida and son Edward – set up home in Balloch in 1954, where they would stay until the passing of George’s wife in 1998.

Peggy sadly passed away at the age of 82 and George followed his daughter Ida over to East Kilbride where he has now been for 21 years.

The family gathered to celebrate George’s 105th birthday at his West Mains flat last week, inviting the News along to capture the moment.

George’s extended family now consists of Ida’s two children, Allison – who lives in East Kilbride – and her two children, Rebecca and Christopher, and

Martin who lives in Australia.

Martin has three sons, Sam, Charlie and Joe.

Ida’s brother Edward has two daughters, Sarah –who lives in Strathaven with her children Harry and Hannah – and Virginia, who lives in Eaglesham with her twins Kate and Kirsty, and younger daughter, Ruby.

Unfortunatle, Martin and his family and Edward – who lives on Islay – could not make the celebrations.

Ida added: “We went to dad’s flat and sang him happy birthday.

“He doesn’t drink, so there weren’t any wild celebrations, but it was nice to have everyone there for a bit and he enjoyed the company.

“He got a card from the Queen, which is the second he’s had from her. He has them both proudly sitting on the sideboard. He also got a telegram from the Secretary of State for work and pensions.”

The family will now celebrate Christmas at Allison’s house in East Kilbride, with George in attendance.

George’s fantastic milestone had us here at the EK News thinking; is he the oldest person in East Kilbride? If you know of anyone older, then please call us on 01698 205 233.