British woman Ethel Caterham, age 115, became the world’s oldest living person when Jiroemon Kimura passed away at age 116 on June 12, 2013. She was born on 21 August 1909 at Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire. She has become the first Briton to win this position since 1987. Caterham now lives in a nursing home in Lightwater, Surrey, where she has lived for the last five decades.
Raised in Tidworth, Wiltshire, Caterham is the second youngest of eight children. At 18, she made a daring move and joined an Indian military family as an au pair in British India. That was the start of her incredible life voyage. After three years overseas, she returned to England, where her lived experience led her on a new and unexpected path. In 1931, she made the acquaintance of her future husband, Lt Col Norman Caterham. Two years on, she married him under the dome of Salisbury Cathedral. The couple were able to live a long and happy life together until his death in 1976.
Caterham has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren who all appreciate the wisdom and experience that she brings to their lives. Reflecting on her life, she stated, “I’ve taken everything in my stride, the highs and lows.” This spirit of looking at the bigger picture has without a doubt helped her to survive and bounce back over the years.
Her overall approach to life is not only fearless but grounded in self-determination. “I mind my business, I listen and I do what I like,” she said, underscoring her non-confrontational approach to life. This attitude has allowed her to adjust to considerable personal and world changes in the last one hundred years.
Caterham’s extraordinary feat as the world’s oldest living person is difficult to fathom in terms of exceeding longevity. More importantly, it mirrors the deep legacy she represents. She has witnessed significant global events, technological advancements, and cultural shifts throughout her lifetime. As she reaches this milestone, her family and community remember her legacy and the lessons she continues to teach.