The last Noelle?

SIR – The highlight of my Christmas was a visit to an old family friend whose birthday it was. Noelle Irvine was born on Christmas Day 1917. Happily, she seems in excellent fettle, with an especially clear memory of events back in the late Forties.

Centenarians are apparently 10-a-penny these days; but I wonder how many surviving Christmas birthday centenarians we have in this country? I expect the Queen knows. Angus I Milne

London SW15