Grace Jones (supercentenarian)
| Grace Jones | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Grace Adelaide Jones 7 December 1899 Bermondsey, London, England |
| Died |
14 November 2013 (aged 113 years, 342 days) London, England |
| Residence | Bermondsey, London, England |
| Known for |
Oldest living person in the UK (29 February 2012 – 14 November 2013) |
Grace Adelaide Jones (7 December 1899 – 14 November 2013)[1] was a British supercentenarian, who was the oldest verified living person in the United Kingdom[2] and the world's seventh oldest living person until her death at the age of 113 years, 342 days.[1] She was the last known living British person to have been born in the 1800s.[3]
Biography
Jones was born in Bermondsey, London on 7 December 1899, one of eight siblings. She never married, but was engaged before her fiancé Albert Rees was killed in World War I at 19. Jones said that she never married as she never found anyone as nice as Rees.[4]
Personal life
Jones attributed her longevity to "'good, English food, never anything frozen", and lived alone in a flat in her native Bermondsey.[4] On 2 December 2011, five days before her 112th birthday, a thief broke into her flat and stole her £300 pension. Another attempted robbery occurred the following day. On her 112th birthday she remarked, "I don't know if I can recover. It takes its toll. He got in and he robbed me. Another one tried on Saturday to get in. I'm frightened."[5] A third burglary happened on 24 January 2012. A man was arrested in connection with the latter two burglaries and sentenced to jail.[5]
Having outlived all of her family and friends, Jones considered her neighbours to be her family: "They are my family now, and they know it. They are very good to me."[6] Jones celebrated her 113th birthday with neighbours and her local Member of Parliament Simon Hughes.[7]
Death
On 14 November 2013, following a fall a few weeks previously, Jones died at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Her death was confirmed by MP Simon Hughes.[3] After her death, the oldest living person in the United Kingdom was Ethel Lang.[3]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Validated Living Supercentenarians". Gerontology Research Group.
- ↑ "Grace Jones, Britain's Oldest Person, Celebrates Christmas". The Huffington Post. December 25, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Oldest person in UK Grace Jones dies aged 113". BBC News. 14 November 2013.
- 1 2 Graces Jones, Britain's oldest person, and the quest for eternal life | Big Issue
- 1 2 Hannah Furness (4 July 2012). "Burglar who stole from Britain's oldest woman is jailed". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ↑ "Britain's oldest woman, 112, who survived the Blitz and lost her fiancé in the trenches left too scared to leave her home after being targeted by cowardly thief". Daily Mail (London).
- ↑ Amazing Grace! Britain's oldest person enjoys her 113th Christmas by going out for turkey dinner