Ethel Lang (maiden name Lancaster) from Barnsley South Yorkshire died last Thursday 15th January in a nursing home aged 114. Born on 27 May 1900, she is regarded as the last person in Britain to have been born during the reign of Queen Victoria. She lived through the reign of six monarchs, two world wars and 22 prime ministers. She had five sisters, and her husband died in 1988.
Mrs Lang lived her whole life in Barnsley and only moved into a care home at the age of 105. Her 91 year old daughter told a television news journalist – “She was a lovely mother. I’ve had her a very long time. I’ve been a very lucky person”. Daughter Mrs Walker added that one of her aunts had lived til the age of 105.
When Mrs Lang turned 108 she told news reporters that amongst her most cherished memories included gathering round the piano with everything blacked out, and having a sing-song.
The oldest person in the UK is now probably Gladys Hooper III from The Isle of Wight (Ryde) who is now 112. In Japan, Misao Okawa celebrated her 116th birthday last March. She is currently thought to be the sixth oldest person to have ever lived.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics last year said the number of centenarians in the UK in 2013 was 13,780 and out of that number 710 were thought to be 105 or older.
