Nicholas Joseph Swarbrick (14 November 1898 - 2 February 2006) was, at age 107, the final surviving English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 merchant sailor of the First World War

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 at the time of his death.

He was born in Grimsargh

Grimsargh

Grimsargh is a village and civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 2,164. The parish is part of the electoral ward of Preston Rural East.-Geography:...

, near Preston in Lancashire

Lancashire

Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

, where his father was a farmer. His mother died of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...

 when he was only six and he was later to lose his only sister from the same illness. He was only four when she first fell ill and, as she was infectious, he was not able to come near her because of her coughing. His elder (by 11 years) sister was forced to run the household.

He attended Winckley Square

Winckley Square

Winckley Square is situated near the centre of Preston, Lancashire, England, at the west end of Avenham.The square was first established in 1801, around Town End Field owned by Thomas Winckley, as an exclusive residential area for the town's gentry. It is now occupied mostly by insurance, legal and...

 School, a Jesuit school in Preston, but dropped out at 14 after being administered especially severe corporal punishment

Corporal punishment

Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...

.

As a radio officer in the Merchant Navy, he made several transatlantic crossings to transport horses and troops. He left the Navy

Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...

 in 1929 to help his father's business, later taking up an interest in cattle breeding

Animal husbandry

Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....

.

He never married and died in his native Grimsargh on 2 February 2006, aged 107.