Saltash ex-butcher David Eggins recently celebrated his 100th Birthday on December 5.

The centenarian spent his birthday with a party among family at the Westbury Hotel in Bodmin sharing celebratory messages from social media reminiscing on his years as a butcher in the town.

The son of Saltash butchers Harry G. Eggins & Son, David took over from his father running the family business in 1951 until he retired aged 63.

He followed his father’s footsteps into the butchery business after first becoming a qualified agricultural engineer, and a short stint working at Devonport Dockyard.

At the time when David took over, H. G. Eggins was one of the original two butchers in the town. Saltash resident Michael O’brien reminisces on working for David for a short time in 1953: “I worked for David in the shop next to the Regal Cinema. I remember him showing me how to make sausages and beef dripping and also delivering meat to customers on the bike.”

A spokesperson for the family said of David’s big day: “He thought it was lovely to get a card from the King, and was lovely to be surrounded by family in his big day including his children Peter, Liz, and Judith.”