Ethel Catham celebrates his 113th birthday in 2022. I don’t know who is in her rights, but he appears to be heading for the world record. Photo: GCG
She was 115 on May 2nd, 254 days ago, and her longevity was attributed to her attitude towards life. Her name is Ethel Catham of England, and since the Wednesday death of Brazil’s Ina Canavaro Lucas, she is now considered the oldest son on the planet.
According to the Gerontology Research Group SuperCentenarian Ranking ListINA, who accurately tracks the world’s oldest person, died yesterday, 116 years old, 326 days ago. She was born in 1908 in San Francisco de Assis, Rio Grande do Sur, Brazil.
Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Lightworth, Surrey, where Ethel is resident, slices her photos of her on Facebook and wears a “115” tiara. “I congratulate Lakeview resident Ethel on becoming the oldest person in the world. It’s an incredible milestone and a true testament to a well-lived life,” reads the post.
“I listen and do what I love.”
Ethel argues that her longevity depends on her attitude towards life. “I walked around everything, taking highs and lows,” she told BBC Radio Surrey in 2020, adding that she had the adage “I don’t discuss with anyone.” She said, “I listen and do what I love.”
Edward VII’s last surviving subject
“Your strength, spirit and wisdom are inspiration for all of us. This is what we celebrate your incredible journey!” adds. Ethel is considered to be the last surviving subject of King Edward VII, the king of England since 1901 and the king of England and emperor of India until his death in 1910.
Born on August 21, 1909 in Shoptonberlinger, Hampshire, England, Ethelcatum is currently resident of Ashvale, Surrey. She became the oldest student in the UK on January 22, 2022, following the death of 112-year-old Mollie Walker.
Ethel grew up in Tidworth, Wiltshire, and was the second largest of eight brothers. Her sister Gladys lived at the age of 104. In 1927, at the age of 18, Ethel embarked on a trip to India where he worked for his British family for three years.
Catum met her love of life, Norman (1905-1976), a major in the British army, at a dinner party. After their marriage, they lived in Haanham, England, before the Army sent them to Hong Kong and Gibraltar.
While in Hong Kong, Ethel Cautham founded a nursery for local and British children, where he taught English, games and crafts. In Gibraltar, she and her husband started a family and eventually raised two daughters in the UK. Sadly, Norman passed away in 1976.
Covid’s oldest known survivor
In particular, Ethel continued to drive until he was 97 years old. She currently lives in a nursing home in Ashvale, Surrey. Also noteworthy is that she contracted Covid-19, but obviously she successfully recovered to become one of the oldest survivors of the disease.
The Guinness World Records officially confirmed Ethel’s status as the oldest person in the world after Canavaro Lucas’ death.
The oldest person of independent age verification Jeanne Carment (1875-1997) of France lived for 122 and 164 days.
The oldest verified man to date was the Japanese Giromon Kimura (1897–2013), who lived at age 116 and lived for 54 days.
The oldest living man is João Marigno Neto, from Brazil. He was born on October 5, 1912 and as of May 2, 2025 he is 112 years old and 210 days old. Gerontology Research Group and the Guinness World Records tested his age.
