A family have become one of the only in the UK with six generations alive at the same time – with one becoming Scotland’s only great-great-great-grandma aged 86.
The family stretches from oldest member Mary Marshall, 86, to youngest member Nyla Ferguson, who is just a couple of weeks old.
Mother-of-eight Mary, born four years before the start of World War Two, boasts 90 grandchildren.
The women are all on the same side of the family – and all except new mum Toni-Leigh – work or worked as carers for the NHS.
All gave birth aged 18 or younger, resulting in the super-sized happy family and live in or around Edinburgh.
Olive Loveridge-Greene via SWNSHead of the family Mary has eight children including eldest daughter Rose.
Rose Thorburn, 68, has four children including mum-of-three Chyrel Borthwick, 50.
Chyrel gave birth to mum-of-four Carrie Dow in 1986.
Carrie, 35, has four children, including new mum Toni-Leigh Aitken, 17.
And on May 25 2021, Mary earned herself the title of Scotland’s only great-great-great grandma with the birth of 6lb 14oz Nyla Ferguson.
Due to the size of her family, Mary says she is forgiven for not buying each and every member a birthday and Christmas present as she’d spend “half the year doing so”.
Mary said: “I’m a lucky woman to be honest with you. It’s great to have such a big family. There’s always someone there looking out for you. I’m incredibly happy.”
Olive Loveridge-Greene via SWNSNew mum Toni-Leigh, who gave birth to the newest member of the family last month, said: “When we found out I was pregnant we did make a joke about us breaking some sort of record.
“Then we started looking into it and it doesn’t look like anyone else has our family set-up.
“It’s a bit too early to see a resemblance to her great-great-great-grandma but it was love at first sight when they met!
“We live no longer than a ten to 15 minute drive away from one another so we see each other.
‘When we found out I was pregnant we did make a joke about us breaking some sort of record. Then we started looking into it and it doesn’t look like anyone else has our family set-up.’
New mum Toni-Leigh
“We haven’t had a big do with the entire family since the pandemic but when we do it’s great fun!
“There’s 90 grandchildren now with Nyla so it’s always pretty loud!”
Rose, 68, said: “It’s great when you have a new baby. I’m one of eight so I’ve always had a big family in some sense.
“But now we’re pretty big! I haven’t heard of any other family of this size in Scotland.
“Whenever we get together there’s always fun and laughs. There’s always someone there for you.”
The family are believed to be the only family in Scotland with six generations alive at the same time.
According to Guinness World Records the most generations alive in a single family has been seven.
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