‘Sharp as a tack’: Sunderland great-gran praised as she celebrates 100th birthday
Catherine Baillie, from Sophy Street in Sunderland, marked the occasion with a party at the Roker Hotel and a family meal.
Born in Southwick on January 23, 1919, Catherine is now a grandmother of 11 and also has 11 great-grandchildren.
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Hide AdShe has been described as ‘sharp as a tack’ by her family and even lives independently her own home.
In her younger days she worked as a cook at a hospital in London, where she lived for a number of years at the beginning of the Second World War.
After meeting her husband John Baillie, who worked as a miner at Wearmouth Colliery, she returned home to Sunderland.
Catherine and John married in Southwick in November 1942.
The couple went on to have six children: Fred Baillie, 75, Elsa Davison, 73, Jan Currer, 69, Ian Baillie, 63, Sonia Downey, 61, and Simon Baillie, 55.
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Hide AdAll of the children live in the North East, apart from Jan who lives in Canada.
Catherine gave up work to be a full-time mum for her children, and to this day enjoys hobbies such as knitting and crotchetting.
Her son Fred said: “She had nine siblings and over the years enjoyed family trips across England and to Europe. “She really enjoyed that and would also go to Blackpool a lot over the years.
“She still has two sisters - Phyl Glancey and Rose Davison.
“She had a big circle of friends.
“And she still enjoys her hobbies of knitting and crotchetting.
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Hide Ad“She still lives in her own house and likes a laugh and a joke.”
Her daughter-in-law Marilyn Baillie said that she had a special birthday cake made by Sunderland business Cake Gem, featuring figures made out of marzipan to represent moments in her life. It features Catherine as a cook and surrounded by family members.