British Woman, 115, Claims World’s Oldest Living Person Title
A 115-year-old British woman, Ethel Caterham, has been recognised as the world’s oldest living person by LongeviQuest and the Gerontology Research Group, research organisations that verify ages for the Guinness World Records. According to The Guardian, Caterham, who lives in a care home in Lightwater, Surrey, is the first Briton to claim the title since 1987, when 114-year-old Anna Williams was the record holder.
Born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Caterham was raised in Tidworth, Wiltshire, as the second youngest of eight children. As reported by The Guardian, she became an au pair to a military family in British India at the age of 18, before returning to England three years later, where she met her husband, Lt Col Norman Caterham, in 1931. The couple married in 1933 at Salisbury Cathedral and had two daughters, before returning to Britain, where her husband died in 1976.
Caterham puts her longevity down to her attitude to life. In an interview with BBC Radio Surrey in 2020, she revealed that her secret to a long life is to "take everything in my stride, the highs and lows." As quoted by The Guardian, she added that she has a maxim of "never arguing with anyone" and that she "listen[s] and I do what I like." Caterham has lived in Surrey for 50 years and has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
The title was bestowed on Caterham after the previous record holder, Inah Canabarro Lucas, a Brazilian nun, died at the age of 116 on April 30. The Guardian reports that Caterham’s life has spanned over a century, with her being the last surviving subject of Edward VII. During her lifetime, she has travelled extensively, been stationed in Gibraltar and Hong Kong with her husband, and even set up a nursery in Hong Kong.
Caterham’s life story is a remarkable one, and her achievement serves as an inspiration to many. As reported by The Guardian, she said: "I’ve been all over the world and I’ve ended up in this lovely home, where everyone is falling over themselves for me, giving me everything I want." Her story highlights the importance of living life to the fullest and taking every experience in stride.
In related news, research has shown that some people who live to be over 100 years old have genes that help keep their cells "younger". A study published earlier this year found that a woman who lived to be 117 years old had genes that helped maintain her cells’ health. The Guardian reported on this story, highlighting the ongoing research into the secrets of longevity.
Source: The Guardian – British woman, 115, claims world’s oldest living person title
