She never set out to break records. She never followed trendy diets or extreme wellness routines. Yet on April 30, 2025, a woman living quietly in a Surrey care home became something few humans ever become. Ethel Caterham, at 115 years and 252 days old, was named the oldest living person on Earth.
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Her rise to the record came after Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas died at 116. Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest, a research organization that verifies ages of supercentenarians, confirmed Caterham’s new status within hours.
For most people, reaching such an age would feel like an achievement worth celebrating loudly. But when Caterham turned 115 in August 2024, she had a different reaction. She told reporters she didn’t know why there was all the fuss.
Her indifference to fame might be part of her secret. And that secret, as it turns out, has nothing to do with supplements, genetics labs, or biohacking protocols. It comes down to something far simpler, something most of us forget to practice in our daily lives.
One Rule Above All Others
When journalists ask centenarians about longevity, they often hear predictable answers. Eat well. Exercise. Stay social. Caterham’s response cuts through all of that.
“Never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like,” she shared in an interview with BBC Radio Surrey in 2020.
At first glance, her advice sounds almost too simple. Avoid arguments? Do what you enjoy? Surely living past 110 requires something more demanding.
But consider what her words actually mean. Refusing to argue does not mean refusing to have opinions. It means choosing where to spend emotional energy. Listening before reacting allows space for understanding rather than conflict. And doing what she likes suggests a woman who has always honored her own needs without guilt.
In a world obsessed with optimization and control, Caterham offers a philosophy built on release. She does not fight against life. She moves with it.
A Young Woman Hungry for Adventure
Caterham was born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire. She grew up in nearby Tidworth, Wiltshire, as part of a large family. She was the second youngest of eight children.
Her early years unfolded during a time of tremendous change. King Edward VII still sat on the throne. Automobiles remained rare. Air travel was a fantasy. Yet even as a young woman, Caterham felt drawn to something beyond the familiar English countryside.
At 18, she made a decision that would shape the rest of her life. She accepted a position as a nanny for a British military family stationed in India. Getting there required a three-week voyage by ship, and she made the journey alone.
For a young woman in 1927, traveling solo across the world demanded courage. India offered her a life filled with new customs, servants, and a blend of British and local traditions. She later recalled celebrating Christmas in the English style while also enjoying Indian customs like Tiffin and Tea.
She spent four years working as a nanny, splitting her time between India and England. Her willingness to say yes to adventure had opened doors she never anticipated.
Love, War, and a Life on the Move
In 1931, Caterham attended a dinner party that would alter her future. She met Norman Caterham, a major in the British Army. Two years later, they married at Salisbury Cathedral, where Norman had once sung as a choirboy.
Norman rose through military ranks and eventually became a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps. His career took the couple across continents. After living in Harnham near Salisbury, they were stationed in Hong Kong and later Gibraltar.
Life in Hong Kong gave Caterham a new purpose. She opened a nursery for local and British children, teaching them English, games, and crafts. She found joy in educating young minds and building something of her own in a foreign land.
Gibraltar brought another chapter, and eventually the couple returned to Surrey with their two daughters, Gem and Anne. Norman died in 1976, leaving Caterham a widow at 67.
Most people might have slowed down after losing a spouse. Caterham took a different approach. She inherited Norman’s Triumph Dolomite and kept driving it until she was 97.
Surviving a Century of Upheaval
Living for 115 years means witnessing history unfold on a scale most people only read about. Caterham has lived through events that defined the modern world. She was three years old when the Titanic sank. She lived through World War One as a child and the Russian Revolution as a young girl. She endured the Great Depression and survived World War Two as a wife and mother.
Political systems rose and collapsed. Technologies that once seemed like magic became ordinary. Empires crumbled. New nations emerged. Through it all, Caterham kept going.
Perhaps her most remarkable survival came in 2020. At 110 years old, she contracted COVID-19 during the global pandemic. Experts believe she is one of the oldest people ever to catch the virus and recover. Her immune system, shaped by more than a century of living, proved stronger than anyone expected.
Records Broken, History Made
Caterham’s longevity has earned her a string of records that few humans will ever match. On April 7, 2025, she surpassed Charlotte Hughes to become the oldest British person ever, breaking a record that had stood for 32 years. On April 26, 2025, when Okagi Hayashi of Japan died, Caterham became the last living person born in 1909. Days later, she claimed the title of the oldest living person in the world.
She now stands as the last surviving subject of King Edward VII. She is also the last person alive who was born in the 1900s decade. Everyone else from that era has passed on.
King Charles III took note of her achievement. On her 115th birthday, he sent a letter conveying his “warmest good wishes” and expressing that he was “heartened to learn about Ethel’s fascinating personal history.” In September 2025, he visited her in person to honor her longevity.
Her care home, Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Lightwater, Surrey, celebrated by renaming part of their garden “Ethel’s Garden.” Staff threw parties with balloons and cake shaped like the number 115. Caterham wore a tiara with her age displayed on top.
Through all the attention, she has remained characteristically unfazed. She enjoys her garden, listens to classical music, and participates in activities organized by the care home. On Christmas Day 2024, she wore a Santa hat and celebrated with fellow residents.
A Family Built for Long Life
Longevity may run in Caterham’s blood. Her older sister Gladys lived to 104 years and 78 days. Having multiple centenarians in one family suggests a genetic tendency toward long life, though scientists still debate how much genes matter compared to lifestyle and attitude.
Caterham outlived both of her daughters. Gem passed away in the early 2000s, and Anne died of cancer at 82 in February 2020. Losing children, no matter their age, brings grief that never fully fades. Yet Caterham has continued forward.
She now has three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren who carry her legacy. Her family has watched her break records they never imagined possible.
When asked how she views her life at this stage, Caterham offered a reflection that captures her spirit perfectly. “I’ve been all over the world and I’ve ended up in this lovely home, where everyone is falling over themselves for me, giving me everything I want,” she said.
Why Women Dominate Longevity Records
Caterham’s achievement raises a question that researchers have studied for decades. Why do women live longer than men, especially at extreme ages?
According to Ben Meyers, CEO of LongeviQuest, roughly 90 percent of all verified supercentenarians are female. Only one man, Jiroemon Kimura of Japan, has held the oldest person in recent decades. He reached 116 years and 54 days before dying in 2013.
Currently, the oldest man alive is João Marinho Neto of Brazil. He is about three years and one month younger than Caterham. Among the 100 oldest women ever recorded, the median age reaches 115 years and 114 days. For men, it sits at 112 years and 115 days.
Scientists point to biological and behavioral factors. Women carry two X chromosomes, which may offer genetic protection against certain diseases. Men tend to engage in riskier behavior throughout life, which contributes to earlier deaths on average.
Still, reaching 115 or beyond requires more than biology. It demands resilience, luck, and perhaps a mindset that allows someone to keep finding reasons to wake up each morning.
More Than Avoiding Arguments
Caterham has shared other pieces of wisdom beyond her primary rule. In an interview with the Salisbury Journal, she offered advice that expands on her philosophy.
“Say yes to every opportunity because you never know what it will lead to. Have a positive mental attitude and have everything in moderation,” she said.
Her words reflect a woman who has always remained open to experience. At 18, she said yes to India. In Hong Kong, she said yes to starting a nursery. After her husband died, she said yes to driving his car for another two decades.
Moderation appears throughout her approach. She does not preach extremes. She does not demand perfection. She simply suggests balance, positivity, and a willingness to embrace what life offers.
What Her Story Teaches Us About Being Human
Ethel Caterham has watched empires fall, technologies rise, and generations come and go. Yet her recipe for longevity contains no expensive supplements or extreme diets. Instead, she offers something almost disarmingly plain. Listen to others. Avoid arguments. And do what brings you joy.
Her advice invites a question worth sitting with. How much of our energy do we spend fighting battles that drain us? How often do we say no to experiences out of fear or habit?
Living for 115 years means accepting loss, change, and uncertainty on a scale few of us will ever know. Caterham buried her husband, both her daughters, and nearly everyone from her generation. She survived a global pandemic at 110. Still, she describes her life as one where she took the highs and lows in stride.
Her story suggests that longevity may depend less on control and more on release. By refusing to argue, she conserves emotional energy. By doing what she likes, she stays engaged with life. By saying yes to opportunity, she remains open to surprise.
For those of us with far fewer years behind us, her example offers a quiet challenge. We may not live to 115. But we can ask ourselves whether we are spending our days on what matters or burning through them in conflict and resistance.
Perhaps the secret to a long life and a meaningful life overlaps more than we think. Caterham has proven that sometimes the simplest rules carry the deepest wisdom.
Featured Image Source: Guinness World Records
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