Scarborough woman celebrates 103rd birthday with visit from the mayor

Nora Gee was born in Lancaster on July 29, 1920.

She grew up in the city and spent many happy holidays in the lakes climbing the mountains which surround them.

Mrs Gee first came to Scarborough in 1939 when the Leeds City Teacher Training College transferred to the town, where she qualified to be a music teacher.

Her first job was in Manchester during the blitz, where she taught boys up to the age of 14, before a job came up in Lancaster, and she moved back to the city to teach there.

She said: “In 1941, we had to register for National Service, but I wasn’t allowed to sign up as there was a shortage of teachers.

"So, I went into the National Fire Service part-time. I would work in the school during the day and operate the switchboard in the fire station at night.

"I became a leading fire woman and the women’s welfare officer for the whole division.

"We didn’t think twice about working so hard, because everybody pulled together.”

Mrs Gee continued to climb in the beautiful Lake District and it was whilst at a Youth Hostel there that she met husband-to-be Ronald Cunningham, a Glaswegian of Irish descent in 1943. The couple married in 1944.

They moved to Glasgow where Mrs Gee taught in a local school before heading north to take a headship in the highlands.

They had two daughters, Lynn and Moira and two sons, Andrew and Gavin. As the children grew the family moved around the country to Scarborough, Frome and eventually to Bath, where Mrs Gee lived until 2021.

Mrs Gee said: “I finally decided to pack up my flat and make a home for myself in Scarborough, because Moira lives locally.

"I love cricket and I’m a member of Scarborough Cricket Club and a life member of Somerset Cricket Club.

"I climbed Snowdon when I was 54 and I’ve visited Malta two or three times a year. I’ve done an awful lot of things.”

Mrs Gee celebrated her birthday with her family with a party at Stepney Hill Farm, where she was surprised with a visit from Mayor John Ritchie who came along to pay his respects.