At 115 years old, Ethel Caterham has officially become the world's oldest living person.
She has inherited the title after the passing of Sister Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun who lived to 116.
From her nursing home in Surrey, Caterham shared her simple yet profound secret to a long life: avoid arguments. "Never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like," she stated.
Born on August 21, 1909, in the quaint village of Shipton Bellinger in Hampshire, Caterham's life has spanned more than a century, witnessing remarkable historical events, including two World Wars.
Her birth predates the First World War by five years, placing her early life within a world on the cusp of dramatic change. Growing up as the second youngest of eight siblings, she experienced a childhood vastly different from today's world.
Travel has been in her blood, it's clear. In 1927, at the age of 18, Ethel embarked on a journey to India, working as a nanny for a British family, where she stayed for three years before returning to England, according to the Gerontology Research Group.
She met her husband Norman, who was a major in the British army, at a dinner party in 1931, and they were stationed in Hong Kong and Gibraltar, the Gerontology Research Group said. They had two daughters whom they raised in the UK. Norman died in 1976.
For the last 50 years, she has lived in Surrey and has three granddaughters and five great grandchildren. During an interview in 2022, she said: “Family is the most important thing in life, to be able to leave memories with your children and grandchildren.
“Possessions don’t matter a bit in the end – all you need is someone to look after you.”
Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Camberley, where Ethel is a resident, posted pictures of her cutting a cake and wearing a “115” tiara in a Facebook post on Thursday.
“Huge congratulations to Lakeview resident, Ethel on becoming the oldest person in the world! What an incredible milestone and a true testament to a life well-lived," it said in an accompanying statement. “Your strength, spirit, and wisdom are an inspiration to us all. Here’s to celebrating your remarkable journey!”
The title of the oldest person ever is held by French woman Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122 years 164 days, according to Guinness World Records.
