AS AN ex-miner who began working at the tender age of nine, Tranent pensioner George Davidson has always believed that "hard work doesn't kill you". And he should know. . . having celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday.

The centenarian marked the milestone with a small family gathering at his home, which included a visit from deputy lord lieutenant Jeremy Nichols, delivering a congratulatory card from Her Majesty the Queen.

George was born in Church Street, Tranent, to parents Tom and Mary Davidson, the third eldest of 15 children. The family moved to Ormiston after George's birth and he worked from an early age.

At nine years old he was picking potatoes with his mother and at 10 he worked at weeding from 6am till 8am, nipping home for some breakfast before heading off to school, then returning to his 'labour' for two hours at night.

And so it continued until he left school at 14 and joined his father working in the pits. The family eventually moved to Prestonpans, and George met his wife Helen.

The pair were married on Hogmanay in 1936 at The Manse in Prestonpans, and it was very much a family affair as George's brother Frank married his fiancee Margaret on the same day, in the same venue.

George and Helen started married life in Tranent, and eventually moved to Ormiston, where they both worked.

Settled in Ormiston, they went on to have two daughters, Helen and Mary, and one son, William.

Sadly, William and Helen died in infancy. Their surviving child, Mary, now a mother-of-two and grandmother of four, lives at Muirpark Gardens, Tranent, near her father's sheltered housing. George worked until he was 65 years old, in various pits throughout the country - finishing up at Monktonhall and bringing to an end a 51-year career in the mines. Helen sadly passed away nine years ago, aged 88, having suffered from poor health.

Now living back in sheltered housing in Tranent, George enjoys reading - particularly Westerns - watching sports and his weekly flutter on the horseracing. Though hard of hearing, and unable to leave the house without wheelchair assistance, the pensioner remains "on the ball and sharp as a tack" says daughter Mary Bell.

She told the Courier: "He's seen so many changes in his life, both on the throne and in politics, he knows some great stories.

"He's quite a reserved man so he wasn't keen on a big party or anything like that but he has been willing himself on to reach 100 years old. We've checked as far back as we could and no one in the family has ever reached that age so it's quite an achievement.

"He told me today: 'I've reached my goal and I'm hoping to be here a long while yet!'." George's grandchildren, John and Evelyn, and great grandchildren, John, Ewan, Christie and Ross, all joined the 100-year-old to mark his birthday at the weekend.