Real Lives: It's another red letter day as typist turns 104

Published on Tuesday 2 September 2008 10:01

Isabella Blyth, a former shorthand typist at North British Distilleries, is celebrating her 104th birthday on Thursday.

Isabella Blyth, known to her friends and family as Isa, was born on September 4, 1904 in Gorgie to John and Janet Blyth and was christened in Tolbooth Parish Church.

She went on to attend Tynecastle school and describes her childhood as "happy and healthy", up until the outbreak of war in 1914, when her father was called up to fight.

He initially applied to fight for the Royal Scots, but when his recruiting agent discovered he could drive – a rare skill in 1914 – he was sent to the Army Service Corps to drive trucks in the campaigns in France and Belgium.

John's departure left Janet to bring up Isa and her two other children alone.

Isa recalls: "I remember rationing meant basic things like flour and milk were scarce.

"There was an official order at the time that if there was ever an invasion my mum was to take our family into the Pentland Hills. She could see them alright from where we lived, but she had no idea how to get there."

When John returned home, his daughter had just turned 14, and he took a job as a driver for one of the law lords at Edinburgh's court service. John and his wife would go on to have three more children.

Isa soon took a job as a shorthand typist at North British Distilleries, a job she was to hold for 35 years and one which she greatly enjoyed, gaining many lifelong friends.

In 1939, the Second World War broke out and Isa soon found herself acting as an air-raid warden and first aider. Her dad, meanwhile, took up arms again – this time with the Home Guard.

Isa's mother Janet died in 1953, leaving Isa to care for her aging father.

Isa retired in 1965 and would spend many an hour with her father, playing golf in the Braids.

John died in 1970 leaving his home in Allan Park to Isa, who never found anyone else to share it with.

She said: "As far as romance was concerned, it never entered my life. I was always too busy doing other things."

Isa has always been heavily involved with her church and for many years was a singer in the Edinburgh Choiral Union, fostering in her an appreciation of all things musical.

She has also been on a number of foreign trips with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, another endeavour that has seen her gain many friends.

The large home became too much for her to cope with and as she approached later life, she sold up and moved somewhere smaller, before entering sheltered accommodation in the early 1990 at John Weir Court.

She took up residence at her current home, at Cairn Housing Association's Jubilee Court in Polwarth Terrace, in 1994.

Friends and staff will be holding an afternoon lunch party for her on her birthday on Thursday, which will be attended by many of her beloved nieces and nephews.