A GIN and tonic is the key to a long life – claims a Whiteinch native on her 100th birthday.

Mary Lavery was the woman of honour for a special celebration last week at Almond Court in Drumchapel.

Mary Carmichael Creevy was born on August 30, 1918 and grew up in a tenement in Whiteinch as one of five children.

She later moved to Boclair Street in Temple and then Glencoe Street in Anniesland in her 20s.

She left school at an early age and went straight into domestic service, where she stayed except a time in a munitions factory in Glasgow during the war.

On September 14, 1945, she married Joseph (Joe) Lavery at the Church of Scotland in Anniesland and then a honeymoon at Nethy Bridge.

Married life started at a flat on New City Road where listening to their collection of Jimmy Shand records was a favourite past-time.

In the 1950s, the couple moved to Drumchapel, then Cumbernauld, then Westerton where Mamie stayed until she was taken into care.

Family describe Mamie as being a “well-organised person who does not like too much change – a person of habit”.

And examples were seen in holiday destinations, with more than 30 years of breaks in the small Banffshire village of Portknockie. After that, she spent nearly 20 years going to Peguera, in Majorca, to the same hotel.

“Occasionally they actually visited other countries such as Italy and Portgual,” they told the Post.

Mamie was a keen bowler until about 10 years ago and represented Westerton Bowling Club for many years.

Even when her eyesight was fading, friends would ring a bell over the jack to give her an idea of where she should play to.

MP Carol Monaghan, who presented Mamie with flowers to mark her birthday, said: “It was a delight to be with Mamie as she celebrated her 100th birthday.

“When I asked her what her secret to a long life was, she said a gin and tonic!

“It’s clear how much Mamie means to her family and to her local community, and I wish her many more happy years.”

Mamie’s family added: “Although she had no children of her own, she has three nephews and four nieces to fuss over and spoil. We knew that if Auntie Mamie was about we could be naughty and there would be no reprimand.

“One of the early memories of the nieces and nephews was every Sunday Mamie and Joe would visit her parents’ house at Glencoe Street where she would help prepare the evening meal, which was then followed by the family sitting round the table playing cards – New Market and Banker.

“When Mamie won, she would split her winnings between all the nephews and nieces who were present. So you know who we were all rooting for.”

They said it was no surprise Mamie had reached 100 as her mother lived to 89, her father reached 98 and her younger sister is 94.