Charlie still going strong as he reaches his century

CHATTING to Charlie Lorimer is like taking a rare peek into a long-gone world.

He’s just celebrated his 100th birthday but you wouldn’t know it – he still lives independently and is sharper than many folk literally half his age.

Born in Castle Street, Montrose, in 1918, he was the eldest child of Edith and Charles who went on to have three more children — Edith, Jimmy and Gladys.

Charlie’s dad, who had been badly wounded in combat during the First World War, ran the Mission Hall which helped local unemployed men, many of whom were veterans.

A busy and active lad, Charlie went to Southesk School. He had Saturday jobs such as being the soap-boy at a local barbers — he’d prepare the soap for razor shaves — and was a chocolate-boy serving confectionary at the Empire Picture House.

Charlie’s teachers wanted him to stay on at school but he had other ideas and left in 1932 to become a cabinet maker.

He served a five-year apprenticeship with Strachan’s of Montrose and used his new skills to hand-make furniture.

“We did it all in those days,” said Charlie. “We shaped the wood and upholstered the chairs. We even made coffins from time to time!”

Among Charlie’s souvenirs of that time is a somewhat prophetic snapshot of himself and three pals enjoying an open day at Montrose aerodrome in 1937.

Two short years later, war came to Europe once again and the war ministry decided that Charlie’s skilled hands would be better employed elsewhere.

As his younger brother Jimmy was conscripted and sent off to the army, Charlie was given war work at RAF Edzell.

“Then they sent me off to Hillington in Glasgow where there was a RollsRoyce factory manufacturing aero engines,” said Charlie.

“I worked on Merlins, assembling them.”

The Rolls-Royce Merlin was a legendary engine used to power Spitfires, Hurricanes and the Lancaster bomber.

The Hillington plant churned out an astonishing 23,500 engines during the course of the war.

While working there, Charlie caught the eye of a young lady from Burnbank, Hamilton, by the name of Ellen Barr.

The two got chatting, really hit it off and were married at Burnbank Church in 1945. Charlie still has a Bible given to him by the minister as a memento.

Ellen worked in the finance department at the factory, “but she didn’t get me any more money for marrying her,” joked Charlie.

As the war came to an end, Charlie and his bride moved back to Montrose where he returned to the joinery business and worked away happily until he retired at the age of 65 – and then continued in a part-time capacity for several more years.

Charlie and Ellen had three daughters — Ellen, Carol and Irene — who between them provided the couple with five grandchildren.

Ellen is a retired nurse living in Plymouth, Carol helps to run a cafe in Montrose and Irene works in retail in Peterhead.

In his free time, Charlie loved to fish and became something of a legend in Montrose Angling Club, winning more trophies than you can count — but the sport is not without drama.

Despite spending a huge amount of time waist-deep in the rivers of Angus, Charlie never got round to learning to swim and was once marooned on a small island during a flood.

He was rescued by boat but didn’t tell Mrs Lorimer about the episode until 20 years later!

Charlie lost Ellen seven years ago but has a loving, supportive family and is still inindependent and content with hhis lot.

“I think the secret is to think yoyoung,” he said.

“I always liked my food, lookedl after myself and enjoyed the odd nip now and then.”

His 100th birthday was celebrated by his family and marked with a card from the Queen and visits from Provost of Angus Ronnie Proctor and Lord Lieutenant Georgiana Osborne.