Saltash Mayor Cllr Julia Peggs recently visited Saltash St Anne’s resident Mary Barnes to congratulate her on her 100th Birthday.

Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren celebrated with the centenarian on August 28, with sons Stuart and Gerald travelling from Wales and as far away as the Blue Mountains, Australia to be with her. 

Born and bred in the village of Paul near Mousehole, Mary spent most of her life bringing up her children in Paul and Penzance, working for many years in the wool shop in Newlyn.

She puts her ripe old age down to good food and fish; her daughter Margaret explains: “With her father being a fisherman, they had a lot of fish to eat when she was growing up.”

Mary, known to many in the town as Cute Gran, moved to Saltash two years ago. “Mum’s been coming to Saltash for many years and she’s always been grannie or gran. One day someone said she’s cute, and it just stuck”, explains Margaret. 

Mayor Cllr Julia Peggs visited Mary with a floral bouquet to sit alongside her birthdays cards including one from the King. “She was so lovely and she took time to talk to all of the family”, added Margaret.