Ethel Caterham, from Surrey, has turned 116 years old, making her the oldest person in the world.
She reached this record in May and is now part of history books. When asked about her long life, Ethel simply said her secret was “never arguing with anyone” and doing what she enjoys.
Ethel was born on 21 August 1909, the same year the Titanic was built. The famous ship took about three years to complete but tragically sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg. Ethel was only a child at the time, but she has lived through many other world-changing events.
She saw both World War One (1914–1918) and World War Two (1939–1945). She also lived through VE Day, 8 May 1945, when people celebrated the end of fighting in Europe.
In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey. Ethel was already in her 40s when this happened, and she lived to see the Queen become Britain’s longest-serving monarch, ruling for 70 years.
Later, in 1969, Ethel watched as humans stepped onto the Moon for the very first time. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 mission was watched by millions on television.
Ethel’s 116 years cover some of the most important events in modern history.
