Fife school friends celebrate their 80th birthdays together

Long time friends Mrs Alice Matthias, Mrs Isobel Lamb and Mrs Elizabeth Young celebrated Isobel and Elizabeth's 80th birthdays at the Dean Park Hotel in Kirkcaldy. The pair have known each other since attending Viewforth Secondary School at the age of 12. They became friends with Alice after she trained as a midwife with Isobel and worked alongside her at Forth Park Maternity Hospital. (Pic: submitted)

Two long-time friends, including one from her school days, were among those celebrating Kirkcaldy woman Elizabeth Young’s 80th birthday at the weekend.

Elizabeth Young was joined by old school pal Isobel Lamb and their long-time friend Alice Matthias for the special celebrations at the Dean Park Hotel on Sunday.

And it was something of a double celebration as Elizabeth turned 80 yesterday (Wednesday), while Isobel’s 80th birthday was on August 9.

The trio came together and celebrated the milestone alongside 24 members of Elizabeth’s family.

Elizabeth and Isobel were both born in Kirkcaldy but it wasn’t until they were 12 and attended Viewforth Secondary School that they met. From then on they have had a fantastic friendship which has spanned all these years.

Elizabeth went on to work in the hotel trade and was bar manageress at Kirkcaldy Ice Rink for many years before becoming a home carer until she retired. She has four children, ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Isobel has a daughter, who lives down south. It was through Isobel that Alice joined the trio.

Alice, who is two years older than the others, was born in Stonehaven where her mother and father had a dairy farm. After leaving school she trained as a midwife and worked with Isobel at Forth Park Maternity Hospital.

Both Isobel and Alice worked as senior midwives until they retired and between them they will certainly have increased the population of Kirkcaldy with the children they delivered at the hospital.

Megan Taylor, Elizabeth’s granddaughter, said: “It was a very special day. All three friends are very close and meet regularly to go to shows at Adam Smith Centre, Lochgelly Centre and Edinburgh theatres.

"They enjoy having meals together at all the local hotels including Victoria Hotel, Dean Park Hotel, Strathearn Hotel and they have often been to the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh for a few special occasions.

"They are three lovely ladies with a great sense of humour.”