A 115-year-old woman from Surrey has officially become the world’s oldest living person, following the death of a Brazilian nun who previously held the title.
Ethel May Caterham, born on 21 August 1909 in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, is now the oldest known person alive.
She assumes the title after the passing of Inah Canabarro Lucas, who died at the age of 116 in Brazil. Lucas had only recently gained global recognition after the death of Japanese supercentenarian Tomiko Itooka in January.
Ethel is believed to be the last surviving subject born during the reign of King Edward VII and the final known person born in the 1900s decade.
One of only three Britons in recorded history to reach the age of 115, she marked the milestone last year, becoming the first since Annie Jennings in 1999 to do so.
Ethel’s early years were marked by international travel and service. At 18, she worked as an au pair for a military family in India, where she lived for three years before returning to the UK in 1931. She later met her future husband, Norman Caterham, at a dinner party.
The couple married in 1933 at Salisbury Cathedral, where Norman had once sung in the choir.
Norman went on to become a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps, and the couple’s life took them to Hong Kong and Gibraltar.
While stationed in Hong Kong, Ethel established an English nursery, and in Gibraltar, they welcomed two daughters, whom they later raised in England.
Ethel now resides in a care home in Lightwater, Surrey, where she recently celebrated her 115th birthday surrounded by her family, including three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
Her family credits her remarkable longevity to a lifetime of resilience and adaptability. Ethel’s age and status have been officially verified by both the Gerontology Research Group and LongeviQuest.
With her 116th birthday approaching in August, Ethel stands as a living link to a bygone era and a testament to a life well lived.
