Flora Christie (100): A remarkable life lived to the full
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REMARKABLE Flora Christie, a beloved member of the community in Moray, has died at the age of 100.
Flora lived in London during the blitz, and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to help the war effort.
Flora was born on July 28, 1921 at Linkwood Cottages, which is now the Cottar Hoose pub in Elgin.
She was the first child of Adam and Jane and had eight younger siblings, five brothers and three sisters. It was a tough upbringing in the 20s and 30s, particularly with Flora’s parents having so many mouths to feed. The family moved from Elgin to Newlands Farm in Drainie a couple of years after Flora was born and then in 1936 to Coulardbank Farm, Lossiemouth.
Flora excelled at school, winning many prizes, and after finishing school she moved to London accepting a job at Hoare’s Bank, which remains the oldest privately owned bank in the UK.
She was always keen to tell the story of when she was tasked with going onto the roof of the bank during the blitz to help put a fire out after a German attack on the capital city.
However, Flora’s time at the bank was short lived due to the war. In 1942 she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) which, at the time, was the women’s branch of the British Army. She went to training camp in Wrexham before being posted to the Mixed Heavy Ack Ack 463 Battery in Somerset where one of her tasks was to shine the searchlight onto enemy planes for the anti-aircraft guns to fire at them.
In the ATS, Flora and her pal Joan were known as the ‘Heavenly Twins’, apparently because they were both small and wore glasses.
The death of Flora’s father in the early hours of New Year’s morning in 1943, having been struck by a motor vehicle while walking home with Flora’s mother, changed the course of Flora’s life. As her mother was in a critical condition in hospital (ultimately losing the sight in one eye) Flora was called home to look after her youngest brothers Alastair and Derek. Flora is survived by her sisters, Margaret and Sheila as well as her brother Alistair.
By 1947, the family had moved from Lossiemouth to North Street, Bishopmill where Flora remained until after the death of her mother in 1987. Following her mother’s passing, Flora moved to Ashgrove Place in Elgin where she stayed until 2009 when she made her final move to Lossie Wynd.
Much of Flora’s working life was spent with Royan the Butchers in Elgin where she was responsible for the firm’s book keeping. She worked at Royan’s until she retired.
In her spare time, Flora loved her drama and appeared in many productions with the Elgin Amateur Dramatic Society including the musical, Salad Days where she had a prominent (Flora, apparently, didn’t warm to the term 'starring') role and Murder in the Cathedral which was performed in the grounds of Elgin Cathedral.
Her nephew Innes Christie said: "She enjoyed reciting poetry, which she delivered with a mischievous air and a twinkle in her eye."
Spynie Kirk was a major part of Flora’s life. She was christened at Spynie, was a long-standing member of the church and she loved singing in the choir. She was thrilled to have her 100th birthday celebration there last summer.
Flora dedicated most of her life to helping other people, be that helping to bring up her younger brothers, looking after her mother during her later years, working as a Samaritan or helping out at the local Alzheimer’s group in Elgin.
Added Mr Christie: "Flora was fortunate to enjoy comparatively good health throughout her life, her faith always remained strong and her fierce determination to retain her independence lasted right to the end. A truly remarkable lady, an example to others and a life well lived."
Rev Jenny Adams, minister of Hopeman, Duffus and Spynie Kirk, said: “It was a privilege to be Flora’s minister, including in the Kirk in which she was baptised 100 years ago. She was always a huge encouragement to me and others. Flora was a great example, finding joy in life through all its ups and down, thinking deeply and living out her faith every day.”
