Elderly nun, clocking in at an astonishing 116 years, passes away.
Britain's Ethel Caterham Takes the Title of World's Oldest Living Person
The crown of the world's oldest living person has been passed on, following the demise of Inah Canabarro Lucas, a 116-year-old Brazilian nun, who tragically passed away on April 30. Inah, a native of São Francisco de Assis in Rio Grande do Sul, was no stranger to the record books, having previously been recognized as the oldest woman globally, after the death of Japanese woman Tomiko Itōoka in January.
Now, the torch has been passed to Ethel Caterham, a 115-year-old British woman hailing from Surrey, England. Born on August 21, 1909, in the quaint village of Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Ethel stands as the last surviving subject of King Edward VII, with a resilience that makes her the oldest British individual ever recorded.
In her youth, Ethel, the second youngest of eight children, grew up in Tidworth, Wiltshire. At 18, she ventured on a three-week solo voyage by ship to India, where she would take up the role of a nanny for a British family. Later, in her husband’s military postings, she founded a nursery in Hong Kong, where she captivated children with her English and crafts lessons.
Her personal journey led her to marry Lt. Col. Norman Caterham in 1933, after they had crossed paths at a dinner party. The couple lived in military postings in Gibraltar and Hong Kong before settling down in Surrey, where Ethel has resided for years. In answering queries regarding her longevity, Ethel has kept it simple, saying, "I do what I like."
Noteworthy organizations such as LongeviQuest and the Gerontology Research Group have acknowledged her extraordinary status. Although her sister Gladys Babilas lived to the impressive age of 104, Ethel's name now stands alone as the world's oldest living person, and her story continues to inspire awe and wonder.
The average age of the world's oldest living person has seen a considerable increase, with the latest record holder, Ethel Caterham, being 115 years old. Originally from a Frenchwoman named Babilas, Ethel now stands as the oldest British individual ever recorded. In an interesting twist, Ethel, who hails from a rural village in England, once sailed solo to India, which led to her working as a nanny for a British family. Her philosophy on her remarkable longevity is straightforward: she simply does what she enjoys, embodying the principles of health-and-wellness and faith in one's life choices.
