A toast to John Beecroft on his 100th birthday

John Beecroft celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday, with family and friends at Linlithgow Canal Tearooms.

Born in Bo'ness on December 16, 1924, John was educated at Borrowstoun Primary and Bo'ness Academy.

A member of the air training corps at the Academy, he was signed up by the RAF to their Lancaster Squadron in 1942, serving initially in Lincolnshire before being shipped out to Egypt where he finished his service in 1945.

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John began work as a coachbuilder in Edinburgh and it was in the city where he met his future wife, Janet (nee Tait) from Mid Calder.

John celebrated his 100th birthday with Gary, Carolyn and Natalie.placeholder image
John celebrated his 100th birthday with Gary, Carolyn and Natalie.

The couple first met at one of John’s friend’s weddings when Janet, who was better known as Jean, was already dating another.

However, fate played a hand and the couple later met at the Cavendish Dance Hall in Lothian Road; they married in Mid Calder Kirk in 1952, setting up home in Craiglea Drive, Morningside.

When John secured a job as a coachbuilder for Aitken’s in Linlithgow, the couple moved to the town's West Port in 1955, before setting up their family home in Listloaning Road in the Brig.

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Jean worked with the civil service in Edinburgh, then took up a job in the office at the ICI factory in Linlithgow before having their son, Gary.

Jean later went on to become a receptionist at the town’s GP surgery, before working as a secretary at Winchburgh Day Centre, from where she retired.

John worked at Aitken’s for years, before moving to Smith of Maddiston, retiring as the coachbuilding workshop manager in 1991, aged 67.

The couple were blessed with two granddaughters, Natalie and Rosie; sadly, Rosie died in 2004, aged just nine. Having travelled up from their home in Twickenham, Natalie (26) and her parents Gary and Carolyn celebrated John's big day with him.

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Gary (65) said: “Dad was getting a bit anxious the closer the day came; he wanted to make sure he hung on!

“He’s not a huge royalist but he was delighted to receive his card from the King and Queen and he thoroughly enjoyed the party.

“He says the secret to his long life is a dram a day, plus the love of extended family, including his younger brother William, niece Valerie and mum’s family. His wonderful neighbours also help him enormously, for which we are very grateful.”

John and Jean were married for 69 happy years, sharing a love of skiing as members of Falkirk Ski Club, with lots of family holidays to Austria, France and Italy.

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In later life, they and their friends joined Linlithgow Hillwalking Club and enjoyed exploring much of Scotland too. Sadly, Jean passed away on November 21, 2021.

John remains in rude health – although his hearing is not quite what it once was.

Caroline Maclachlan, Vice Lord Lieutenant of West Lothian, and Councillor Harry Cartmill attended the party to pass on their congratulations.

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