Twins celebrate 90th birthday with a surprise family knees-up
A BIRTHDAY party came as a complete surprise for twins, as the whole family celebrated their milestone 90 years.
Maureen McDade and Lilian Ness didn’t know anything about the party, which took place on Saturday afternoon at the Benwell Hall Drive Community Hall – until they were both greeted by family members with cards, gifts, balloons and banners.
And on a landmark occasion that saw family members visiting from as far away as the Isle of Skye, it was a great occasion for the sisters who celebrated in style, surrounded by loved ones.
Maureen has four children – two girls and two boys – nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Her husband, John, died in 1988 aged in his early 60s.
Lilian has three children – two boys and a girl – as well as seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
The twins were born and raised in Scotswood as two of six children. During the war they were evacuated with their younger sister Brenda to Longtown in Cumbria.
Both sisters left school at 14 and worked at Moat Builders Merchants in Bath Lane, Newcastle.
Lilian now lives in Newbiggin-bythe-Sea and has done so for the past 60 years, while Maureen lives in Benwell.
Around 40 or so members of the family gathered at the community centre for the special occasion, much to the delight of the sisters who thought they were meeting up as just a pair.
Speaking to The Chronicle about the event, Lilian’s daughter Linda McDonald, said: “We had an absolutely amazing day, it was fabulous.
“It was a total surprise to my mam and her sister, they thought they were just meeting up with each other for the day.
“My mam came into the venue first and then my aunt, and they were both just really surprised – they just didn’t expect it at all.
“There was so many members of the family who could attend, which made it even better, and overall it was just a lovely, lovely day.
“We thoroughly enjoyed it.”
The 61-year-old continued: “Some of them turned up for 2pm, and others came a little bit earlier – it was more like a drop-in and drop-out.
“They just sat and thoroughly enjoyed seeing everybody.
“We made them cups of tea and took them bits of cake – they had a great day. I think my mam slept like a log last night, to be honest with you!”