Fife family celebrates five generations spanning some 40 family members

The Farmer family added the latest generation to the family tree with the birth of Alvie Farmer on 9 March 2023. He joins a long list of Farmers dotted around the Kingdom.

James, Jim, Garry, Jamie and now Alvie are the only male family members in the Farmer line.

Alvie's birth means Jamie Farmer, 26, is the latest to become a father as he keeps up the family name.

Jim (74), father of Garry, said: “Alvie is the last one in the family line to keep the name going”.

Garry added: “We’re all the only males on the Farmer side, so everyone of us we’re the only person who can carry the Farmer name on. None of us have brothers, it’s quite unique”.

Patriarch James, turned 101 in November. Nicknamed "The Laird of Prinlaws", he still lives independently at his home in Leslie, amazingly just yards from the former site of the house he was born in.

Speaking of his grandfather's longevity, Garry, 51, said: “He puts it down to porridge and whisky! That’s what he puts it down to.

“He has porridge every single morning and he has done it his whole life. He doesn’t have a whisky everyday but he has his porridge”.

Although Jim is keen to point out that it’s not completely healthy.

He added: “By the way, with half a handful of salt in it as well”.

The family have all stayed in Fife, with Garry the furthest from home in Dalgety Bay, and use birthdays and other celebrations as an excuse to get the clan together.

Garry said: "We get together mainly at birthdays, but mainly if it's grandad's birthday we'll try and get together."

The family celebrated Alvie's addition with a photoshoot of the five male members of each generation. However, celebrations in the past have been a bit further afield. For James’ 90th birthday, the group jetted off to Tenerife.

“The whole family went. There were about 26 of us!” said Garry.