100th birthday celebrations for Bice Valente from renowned Kirkcaldy family

Born in Arpino, Frosinone in Italy on May 17, 1923, Bice Valente celebrated the landmark this week.

Bice married Antonio Valente in her hometown in 1947. The couple first met during the second world war when her family looked after the Valentes.

They moved to Kirkcaldy in the February following their marriage. However, Franco Valente, Bice’s son, said the February introduction to Scotland was a bit of a shock when it came to the weather.

He said: “She always remembers Scotland as being very cloudy in February and she never thought she’d see the sun. She always said the Italy where she grew up was beautiful sunshine in February”.

But despite the contrasting weather conditions, Bice has always had great affection for her adopted homeland.

Franco explained: “She has a great love of Scotland because that’s what gave her a new life so she has a great affection for Scotland”.

Once in Kirkcaldy, Bice joined the family business alongside Antonio, and she worked at Valente’s Fish and Chip Bar until the age of 75. Antonio's family set up a fish and chip bar in 1921 which still proves popular to this day.

Bice was also a seamstress by profession, and proudly displayed the tapestries she sewed around her home before gifting some to her family in recent years.

The couple had two sons. John was born in 1948, seven months after they arrived in Kirkcaldy, and Franco in 1956. Bice also has five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.