World’s Oldest Person, Ethel Caterham, Marks 116th Birthday in the UK
The world’s oldest living person, British woman Ethel Caterham, has celebrated her 116th birthday in Surrey, south-west of London.
Caterham, born on 21 August 1909 in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, marked the occasion quietly with her family, according to Hallmark Care Homes, where she resides. The home said she spent the day “at her own pace” and would not be giving interviews.
Her milestone comes just months after she assumed the title of the world’s oldest person, following the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas in April. She is officially recognised by the US-based Gerontological Research Group (GRG) and the LongeviQuest database.
Caterham’s remarkable life has spanned three centuries. She was born five years before the outbreak of the First World War and remains the last surviving subject of King Edward VII.
The great-grandmother has outlived her husband Norman, who died in 1976, and her two daughters. She has three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A survivor of Covid-19 at the age of 110, Caterham has often credited her longevity to “never arguing with anyone” and simply “listening and doing what I like.” She drove until nearly 100 and played bridge well into her later years.
She received a personal letter from King Charles III on her 115th birthday last year, congratulating her on a “truly remarkable milestone.” The care home suggested he may again be her “one concession” in terms of official greetings this year.
The record for the longest-lived person remains with Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.
