Leeds great-great-gran reunited with five generations for first time since lockdown - to celebrate her 102nd birthday

A great-great-grandmother from Leeds has been reunited with five generations of her family for the first time since lockdown - to celebrate her 102nd birthday.
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Sprightly Lucy Lund said she loved “every minute” of her birthday party after spending most of the lengthy lockdown months on her own.

Despite turning 102, she said she still feels young and doesn’t understand why people keep “kicking up a fuss” about her age.

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The close-knit family, most of whom live just five minutes from each other, came together on Friday, August 28, for lunch where they shared presents, pancakes and prosecco.

Lucy Lund with the first generation in the front row and second generation in the back (photo: Angie Wright / SWNS).Lucy Lund with the first generation in the front row and second generation in the back (photo: Angie Wright / SWNS).
Lucy Lund with the first generation in the front row and second generation in the back (photo: Angie Wright / SWNS).

They booked out the Queen's Mill Tea Rooms in Castleford, where the 19-strong family enjoyed an afternoon of festivities, including the youngest Annabelle, four.

Lucy, from Allerton Bywater, said having the family together was “absolutely fantastic”.

Widowed Lucy said: “I loved every minute of my birthday. It was absolutely fantastic.

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“I enjoyed it so much and after lockdown it was so nice to see everyone.

Lucy and Dennis Lund's wedding day in 1939.Lucy and Dennis Lund's wedding day in 1939.
Lucy and Dennis Lund's wedding day in 1939.

“But I don’t know why everyone keeps kicking up a fuss about my age. I’m young.”

Lucy was a tailor in the 1930s and 40s before working in a small factory making toiletries just before the war broke out.

She married her late husband Dennis in 1939, who sadly passed in 1978, and hasn't remarried since.

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Her first son Alan was born in 1940, followed by Stanley in 1945 and Andrew in 1964.

102-year-old Lucy Lund has credited her longevity to drinking a tot of whiskey each day.102-year-old Lucy Lund has credited her longevity to drinking a tot of whiskey each day.
102-year-old Lucy Lund has credited her longevity to drinking a tot of whiskey each day.

Granddaughter Angie described Lucy as “fiercely independent”, and the great-grandmother still lives by herself in the same home she’s lived in since 1955.

Angie, 55, said Lucy has always credited her longevity to drinking a glass of whiskey each night, having some honey for breakfast, and a good helping of mucky fat, or pork drippings.

Mum-of-two Angie said: “She’s very clued on, even at her age. Nothing gets by her, she’s still on it like a car bonnet.

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“She says her secret is a little drop of whiskey with her tea, a little bit of honey in the morning, and mucky fat."

The celebration marked the first time in months that the family got together - the longest they'd been apart in decades.

Angie said: “This was the first time we’d all seen each other - which is unusual for us because we’ve always been around.

“She’s fiercely independent, but she’s always had family around her.”

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The family met up at 4pm sharp as Lucy would kick off if anyone was even five minutes late.

Hairdresser Angie added: “We’re a really close knit family, and we really wanted to be there for gran - I think it’s so important.

“We all wanted to be here with her on her birthday, as we’d not seen each other due to Covid.

“You never know when the last celebration will be so we wanted to make it as special as possible.”

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Lucy received heaps of cards and presents, but Angie says buying a gift for someone who has lived through two pandemics and a two world wars was “near impossible”.

She said: “It was just lovely. Everyone being together, after such a strange and difficult year. It almost felt like being normal again for two hours.

"We got her lots of gifts, and I think everyone being together just made it all so special.

"Although it's near impossible to get someone like her a gift."

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Most of Lucy’s gifts were plants, flowers, or whiskey - her three favourite things. But they said the greatest gift of all was being together.

Angie added: “It’s unbelievable really, five generations of people all in one room.

“We feel so lucky because all of the great-great-grandchildren all know her and she knows them.

“Everyone in this family, throughout the generations, have grown up with each other - and everyone was brought up by grandma Lucy.”

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Lucy has three sons, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

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