Charlotte Hughes
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Marion Hughes, née Milburn (1 August 1877 – 17 March 1993) is the longest-lived person ever documented in the United Kingdom, or in England at 115 years 228 days, despite longevity myths
such as that of Thomas Parr. She was a schoolteacher from the age of 13, and married in 1940 at age 63, after retiring. Hughes was the third undisputed person in history to reach age 115, after Jeanne Calment
and Lucy Hannah
.
She remained in robust health into extreme old age and achieved public recognition for her longevity
, including tea with then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
, in 1985, whom she jokingly admonished against cuddling up to her, as Hughes was a Labour supporter. Thatcher replied by saying "Oh well, never mind, let's have a cup of tea". However, Hughes admitted to personally liking Thatcher, and described the Prime Minister as "A very nice woman". For her 110th birthday, she flew on Concorde
to New York City, one of only two supercentenarian
air passengers ever recorded. She stayed at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel for four days on an all-expenses paid visit and met the mayor Ed Koch
.
She became the oldest person in the United Kingdom when Scotland's Kate Begbie died in 1988, and broke the national longevity record, held until then by Anna Eliza Williams, in early 1992. Several British women including Eva Morris
(who died at age 114 years 360 days) have reached 114 since, and Annie Jennings
(1884–1999) reached age 115 years 8 days, but the record set by Hughes still stands. Hughes lived in her own home in Marske-by-the-Sea
until 1991, when she moved to a nursing home in Redcar
due to becoming too frail to look after herself. She also spent her final years in a wheelchair, though she remained mentally alert and sharp to the end of her life. She was the last surviving British person with an 1870s birthdate.
Longevity myths
Longevity myths are traditions about long-lived people , either as individuals or groups of people, and practices that have been believed to confer longevity, but for which scientific evidence does not support the ages claimed or the reasons for the claims.The phrase "longevity tradition" may...
such as that of Thomas Parr. She was a schoolteacher from the age of 13, and married in 1940 at age 63, after retiring. Hughes was the third undisputed person in history to reach age 115, after Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Louise Calment was a French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed human life span in history, living to the age of . She lived in Arles, France, for her entire life, and outlived both her daughter and grandson. She became especially well known from the age of 113, when the...
and Lucy Hannah
Lucy Hannah
Lucy Hannah née Terrell was an American supercentenarian. Hannah is the third-oldest person ever and the oldest black person ever, as well as the oldest living American at the time of her death...
.
She remained in robust health into extreme old age and achieved public recognition for her longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
, including tea with then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, in 1985, whom she jokingly admonished against cuddling up to her, as Hughes was a Labour supporter. Thatcher replied by saying "Oh well, never mind, let's have a cup of tea". However, Hughes admitted to personally liking Thatcher, and described the Prime Minister as "A very nice woman". For her 110th birthday, she flew on Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
to New York City, one of only two supercentenarian
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
air passengers ever recorded. She stayed at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel for four days on an all-expenses paid visit and met the mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
.
She became the oldest person in the United Kingdom when Scotland's Kate Begbie died in 1988, and broke the national longevity record, held until then by Anna Eliza Williams, in early 1992. Several British women including Eva Morris
Eva Morris
Eva Morris née Sharpe was the oldest recognised person in the world, by the Guinness Book of Records, from December 1999 until November 2000...
(who died at age 114 years 360 days) have reached 114 since, and Annie Jennings
Annie Jennings
Annie Jennings, née Thomas was a British supercentenarian and the world's second oldest living person, after American Sarah Knauss, at Jennings' death at age 115 years 8 days. Jennings hailed from Chesterfield, Derbyshire where she celebrated her 114th birthday...
(1884–1999) reached age 115 years 8 days, but the record set by Hughes still stands. Hughes lived in her own home in Marske-by-the-Sea
Marske-by-the-Sea
Marske-by-the-Sea is a village in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England.It is located on the coast, in an area sometimes referred to as East Cleveland, between the seaside resorts of Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea although it is not...
until 1991, when she moved to a nursing home in Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
due to becoming too frail to look after herself. She also spent her final years in a wheelchair, though she remained mentally alert and sharp to the end of her life. She was the last surviving British person with an 1870s birthdate.
See also
- List of British supercentenarians
- LongevityLongevityThe word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
- Oldest peopleOldest peopleThis is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....