16.01.

2015

BBCNewsBritain'soldestpersonEthelLangdiesaged114

SHEFFIELD & SOUTH YORKSHIRE

16January2015Lastupdatedat15:11GMT

Britain'soldestpersonEthelLangdiesaged114
Britain'soldestpersonhasdiedattheageof114.
EthelLangwasbelievedtobethelastpersonlivingintheUKwhowasborninthereignofQueenVictoria.
MrsLangwasbornintheWorsbroughareaofBarnsleyon27May1900andlivedintheSouthYorkshireminingtownallherlife.
In2005,shemovedintotheWaterRoydHousenursinghomeinBarnsley,whereshediedonThursday.MrsLangissurvivedby
a91yearolddaughter.
'Lovedhersnooker'

ShebecametheUK'soldestpersonafterLondonerGraceJonesdiedaged113in2013.
EthelLanghaslivedthroughsixmonarchs,22primeministersandtwoworldwars
Shehasseentheinventionoftheradio,thetelevision,thecomputerandtheinternet
AccordingtofiguresreleasedbytheOfficeforNationalStatisticslastyear,thenumberofcentenariansintheUKwasestimatedtobe13,780in2013.
Ofthose,710wereestimatedtobeaged105orolder
In2013therewere586womenaged100andover,forevery100menofthatageintheUK
Thisnumberhasfallenfrom823womenin2003
TheQueensendsapersonalmessageofcongratulationstoanyoneintheUKwhoreaches100,thenagainat105,andeverybirthdayafterthat

MrsLangwasoneofsixgirlsandleftschoolat13toworkinashirtfactory.
Shemarriedherhusband,William,in1922,andtheyhadadaughtertogether,Margaret.MrLangdiedin1988.
Thecouple'sdaughterMargaretWalkertoldBBCRadioSheffieldthatoneofherauntslivedtotheageof104andgoodgenes
runinthefamily.
Shesaid:"Shewasalovelymother,I'vehadheraverylongtime.I'vebeenaveryluckyperson."
MrsWalkersaidhermotherwentblindattheageof85butstillenjoyedlisteningtosnooker.
"Shelovedthesnookerandloved[player]JimmyWhite.Shewasalwaysbackinghim,"sheadded.
SpeakingtotheBBConher108thbirthday,MrsLangsaiditwasthewaryearsthatstuckinhermemory.
Shesaid:"OnaSundayeveningweusedtohavefriendscomeover.Wewouldblackeverythingoutandgetaroundthepiano
andhaveasingsong."
AccordingtoalistofsupercentenariansmaintainedbytheGerontologyResearchGroup,GladysHooper,111,oftheIsleof
Wight,isnowBritain'soldestresident.Shewillbe112onSunday.
TheoldestpersonintheworldisthoughttobeMisaoOkawa,aJapanesewomanwhocelebratedher116thbirthdaylastMarch.

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