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So farewell, Anna Watt, last surviving sibling of the Scottish singing duo Fran and Anna.

Like most people, I first encountered them on the 70s variety programme Thingummyjig, where even the compere Jack MacLaughlin sounded like he wasn't sure if they were for real.

It was hard to tell what was more outrageous, their over the top renditions of classic songs - nothing was ruled out from Donald Where's Yer Troosers to Chanson L'Amour - or their costumes - mini-skirts and fishnets and quirky little hats, a carbon copy it seemed of the outfits they'd worn as child performers.

And while people mocked, others just couldn't look away. Sir Terry Wogan was left almost speechless by an appearance they made on his TV chatshow.

They were simply above irony.

Many cynical hacks arrived to meet them, prepared to stare in horror then return to write some cutting barb.

But most were completely disarmed by their absolute charm. How could you dislike two middle aged ladies who had such a joie de vivre and a passion for entertaining?
You also couldn't make them up.

Two showbiz sisters, born into a showbusiness family. Older sister Lily was already onstage as a pianist - she later became their manager.

Their father was a ventriloquist - and quickly put his daughters on the stage. His stage name was Valentine Prince, so they became the Prince Sisters, later Fran and Anna.

They were rarely seen out of costume. When I met them at dress rehearsals for a benefit gig for the now departed Jimmy Logan, they were resplendent in matching black macs, tartan trimmed berets and sunglasses.

Even their fellow performers can't recall seeing them out of costume or out of character. Their upbringing in variety theatre had instilled them with the belief that they should always look the part when meeting their public, whether that was at the stage door or in the supermarket.
In the 90s, by which point they were in their 70s, they still made appearances in the odd surviving variety show, but mostly were spotted, in characteristic matching costumes, at various funerals as the last of the Scottish variety performers passed away one by one.

Fran died in 2003, at the age of 81. Anna, the younger of the sisters said she couldn't imagine life without her.

Their singing act changed little over the decades. I suspect the costumes were pretty much along the lines of those they wore as girls.

And that made them beyond parody. Johnny Beattie and the late Jack Milroy were among those who tried.

Johnny said: "We'd dress up in silly wigs and costumes and sing songs like them but they'd just join in. They were absolutely lovely."