Ethel Caterham celebrated her 116th birthday at a care home in Lightwater, Surrey, maintaining her status as the world's oldest living person. The remarkable milestone makes her the last surviving subject of King Edward VII, having been born on August 21, 1909.
She gained the world record in April following the death of Brazilian nun Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was also 116. King Charles sent Mrs Caterham a birthday card for her 115th birthday last year, recognising her extraordinary longevity.
Historical witness to transformation
Mrs Caterham's life spans an incredible period of British and world history, witnessing two world wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the first Moon landings, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. She has lived through six different UK monarchs and 27 prime ministers, from Herbert Henry Asquith to current PM Sir Keir Starmer.
The second youngest of eight children, she was born three years before the Titanic tragedy and eight years before the Russian Revolution. One of her sisters, Gladys Babilas, also reached remarkable longevity, living from 1897 to the age of 104.
Global adventures and family life
Born in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, she was raised in nearby Tidworth, Wiltshire. At 18, she travelled alone by ship for three weeks to work as an au pair for a military family in India, returning to Britain three years later in 1931.
She met her future husband Norman Caterham at a dinner party and they married at Salisbury Cathedral in 1933. The couple lived an international life, with Norman serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps, taking them to Hong Kong and Gibraltar.
During their time in Hong Kong, Mrs Caterham set up a nursery where she taught English, crafts and games. They raised two daughters, Gem and Anne, before eventually settling in Surrey more than 50 years ago.
Legacy and gratitude
Her husband died in 1976, and both daughters have since passed away. Mrs Caterham is now regularly visited by her three granddaughters Kate Henderson, Julia Pauling and Lucy Robinson.
A care home statement said: "Ethel and her family are so grateful for all of the kind messages and interest shown to her as she celebrates her 116th birthday this year. Ethel will spend the day quietly with her family so that she can enjoy it at her own pace. Thank you again for your kind wishes on this special day."
Philosophy of resilience
Speaking to BBC Radio Surrey in 2020, the year she survived Covid, Mrs Caterham said: "I've taken everything in my stride, the highs and lows. 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."
Mrs Caterham is believed to be the fourth British person to hold the world's oldest title. The oldest person who ever lived was Frenchwoman Jean Louise Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
