A century

Grandma Christie was born a hundred years ago. This is a picture taken in 1980 (I think) ; she'd just finished playing cricket on the beach with 4 of her grandchildren, in a skirt and court shoes.


Grandma Christie liked gardening, and Rich Tea biscuits, and Margaret Thatcher, and horse-racing, snooker and cricket. She brought up four strong, opinionated daughters. She knew all about plants, and birds, and entertaining small children.

Grandma Christie didn't like her first name; or pop music; or quite a lot of things about the modern world. She didn't have a phone until nearly everyone had one, and collected 2p pieces in a brass jug on the mantelpiece, and went round the corner to the phone box in her fur coat.

Grandma Christie knitted and crocheted and embroidered, although I never actually saw her doing it... She cranked out school sweaters; and possibly socks; and made blankets; and beautiful crochet lace; and cutwork traycloths... She ran the sewing machine over pieces of paper to make stamps for kids to colour in.

Everyone needs a Grandma Christie.