Marvellous Mary marks her 102nd year on the planet with a knees up in Falkirk care home

Mary McCabe enjoyed her party at Falkirk’s Thorntree Mews Care Home on Thursday surrounded by family, friends and staff.

A sister midwife for decades at the former Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary, Mary helped many, many mothers at the birth of their children and on her birthday she was joined by her own daughters Esther McLaughlin and Claire Shepherd.

The duo had previously organised their mum’s 100th birthday celebrations back in 2022 in Camelon Social Club when she was still living at home in Bantaskine.

Now a resident in Thorntree Mews, Mary was still in fine form.

Born on April 4, 1922, Mary was the fifth of Esther and William McLaughlin’s eight children, all of whom had red hair and were known in the village as the “red headed McLaughlins”.

She grew up in Plean with siblings Donald, Willie, George, Nellie, Jane, Katy and Esther, attending Bannockburn St Mary’s School before going to St Modan’s High School in Stirling.

Leaving school at 16, her first job was at Bannockburn Co-op as a cashier, but as was usual at the time she had to sit a stiff entrance exam before getting the position.

Nursing was always her chosen profession and after spending time volunteering at Bannockburn Fever Hospital, she was eventually accepted to begin her training as a registered fever nurse at the former Falkirk Burgh Hospital in 1939.

Three years later she was accepted to begin her general nursing training at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

She spent a year at Glasgow’s Maternity Hospital, better known as Rottenrow, to do her midwifery training and then became a district nurse.

In 1949 she returned to Falkirk Burgh Hospital when was given a sister’s post.

Around this time she met John McCabe, or Johnny as he was better known, and the couple were married two years later in January 1951 in Bannockburn St Mary’s.

Shortly after the couple and their two daughter’s moved into their Bantaskine home in 1957, Mary announced she wanted to go back to work part-time.

In 1958 Mary obtained a part-time post in Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary’s maternity wards, mainly working weekends where she was later promoted to sister and continued at the hospital until her retirement in December 1981.

Daughter Esther said: “Mum delivered hundreds of Falkirk Bairns over the years. She has been there at some very special moments for families from all over the district.

"As youngsters we could never go up the street without mum stopping to look in prams and talk to mums about how their babies were coming on.”

Johnny died back in 2003, but with support from her daughters Mary was able to live at home until after her 100th.

Back at her 100th birthday Mary, who has an ever growing family of grandchildren and great grandchildren, revealed the secret of her longevity.

“A clear conscience,” she said.