Britain gains a new longevity milestone as Ethel Caterham celebrated her 117th birthday, becoming the first person from the UK verified to reach that age, according to Guinness World Records.
Caterham was born on 21 August 1909 and marked the birthday at a care home in Surrey, about 25 miles from London. The milestone follows her assuming the title of the world’s oldest person after the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, and builds on the verification that made her the first British person to reach 116 last year.
Ben Meyers, chief executive of LongeviQuest, framed the achievement as historic for Britain, saying, “Her longevity is becoming truly historic, especially in terms of the UK. After becoming the first British person to reach age 116 a year ago, she is now the first British person to reach 117. “She is consistently adding to her British longevity record, which was previously set by Charlotte Hughes, who passed away in 1993. “Ethel is the 13th oldest person ever. Her reign as the world’s oldest person is already the third longest in 11 years. She remains the last living person born before 1910. Simply put, she is incredible!”
Caterham told PA Media she enjoyed a family celebration, saying, “I’ve had a lovely day celebrating with my family and friends, and I look forward to seeing what next year brings.” In September last year she received a visit from King Charles, shortly after turning 116, and during that encounter she joked about his 1969 investiture, telling him, “All the girls were in love with you and wanted to marry you.”
Her life spans a sweep of modern history. Born in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, the second youngest of eight children, she is recorded as the last surviving person born during the reign of King Edward VII. At 18 she travelled alone to India to work as a nanny, later marrying Major Norman Caterham in 1933 at Salisbury Cathedral. The couple spent a period in Hong Kong where she established a nursery before returning to Surrey. Her husband died in 1976; she has outlived both daughters and is survived by three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren.
Guinness World Records also notes Caterham survived Covid-19 in 2020 when she was 110, qualifying her as one of the oldest people to recover from the virus. Human longevity remains an area of intense scientific interest, and Caterham’s verified age and medical history add a high-profile data point for researchers tracking extreme-age survival and resilience.
Caterham’s 117th birthday shifts the UK’s record books and keeps public attention on the realities of very old age, while she and her family look ahead. As she herself said, she looks forward to seeing what the next year brings.
