Westhill resident, Adam Craigmile, celebrated his 100th birthday on 11th July. A party at his sheltered housing home, Blackhills Court, helped him celebrate with residents, family and friends.

He was also visited at the event by Deputy Lord Lieutenant Andrew Salveson.

Adam has lived through things barely comprehensible to modern minds.

In 1918, he started at Westhill Primary School where many of the children went barefoot. Afterwards, he attended Skene Central School (which is now Skene Primary School).

Aged 14, he started at the Broadstraik Inn farm where most of the work was carried out using Clydesdale horses.

He used to drive his sheep and cattle by foot to Aberdeen Mart which took him a whole day there and back.

His father then sold the Broadstraik Inn in 1927 and they moved to Nethermains, Echt, and thereafter to the Colquhonnie Hotel and farm, Strathdon, where he met land girl, Zena.

Married life began with Zena in 1944 at Sinnahard croft where the general merchant shop sold everything from petrol to animal feed.

Son Adam arrived at Sinnahard on VE day 1945. The family then moved to a bakery/grocer shop in Aberdeen’s George Street where Barry was born on July 7, 1947.

Adam and Zena later moved back to Westhill where they settled.

During this time in Westhill they became grandparents to three children.

Zena died at the end of 1999 and Adam carried on living in the family home until 2008 when he moved to Blackhills Court.

He attributes his long life to 60 years of hard work, basic food like porridge and brose, always looking forward, a great many hobbies, keeping a sense of humour in the face of old age limitations and maintaining an interest in farming topics.

I was delighted and honoured to present Adam with a bottle of whisky and a card on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council. Adam’s life story is fascinating and he is a shining example to us all. It was lovely to see him surrounded by his family. I’m very tempted to camp up at Blackhills Court for a week to hear more of his great stories!