At 115 years old, Ethel Caterham has lived through events most people only read about in history books. She was alive when the Titanic sank. She witnessed two world wars. She survived the Great Depression, the Russian Revolution, and a global pandemic more than a century after her birth. Yet when asked about her secret to such an extraordinarily long life, her answer surprised everyone with its simplicity.
Born in an era when horse-drawn carriages still shared roads with early automobiles, Caterham has now earned a distinction few humans ever achieve. On April 30, 2025, she became the oldest living person in the world. Her care home in Surrey, England, became the unlikely center of global attention. And through it all, she remained puzzled by the spotlight, saying she “didn’t know why there was all the fuss.”
But there is indeed a fuss to be made. Her story offers something rare in our age of complicated wellness routines and expensive longevity treatments. Her approach to life costs nothing, requires no special equipment, and flies in the face of modern stress culture.
A New Record Holder Emerges in Surrey
Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest, a database tracking the world’s oldest people, confirmed Caterham’s status after Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas passed away at 116. At 115 years and 252 days old, Caterham became the first British person to hold the title of world’s oldest living person since 1987, when Anna Williams claimed the record at 114.
Caterham lives at Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Lightwater, Surrey. Staff there celebrated her achievement with a cake shaped like the number 115 and a tiara bearing the same digits. Photos from the celebration show her wearing sunglasses and posing in her garden with loved ones.
Her path to becoming a world record holder was never intentional. Mark McKinley, director of records at Guinness World Records, noted that Caterham never set out to be a record breaker. Yet here she stands, having outlived billions of people born after her.
Her One Rule for Living Past 115
When reporters and researchers ask supercentenarians about their secrets, answers vary wildly. Some credit red wine. Others point to genetics, diet, or daily exercise. Caterham’s answer cuts through all the noise with disarming honesty.
“Never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like,” Caterham once explained.
Her philosophy represents a form of radical self-preservation through peace. She avoids conflict not through suppression but through selective engagement. She listens to others, takes in their perspectives, and then makes her own choices regardless of outside pressure. Her approach suggests that longevity might have less to do with what we consume and more to do with how we handle life’s inevitable tensions.
In a 2020 interview with BBC Radio Surrey, she expanded on her mindset. She spoke about accepting both good times and bad without letting either define her. Her granddaughter joined her for that interview, offering a glimpse into the close family bonds Caterham has maintained across generations.
Beyond avoiding arguments, she once shared additional wisdom with the Salisbury Journal. “Say yes to every opportunity because you never know what it will lead to. Have a positive mental attitude and have everything in moderation.”
Moderation, positivity, openness to experience, and a refusal to waste energy on conflict. Her formula sounds almost too simple. Yet at 115, she offers living proof of its effectiveness.
Growing Up as One of Eight Children
Caterham entered the world on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, England. Her parents raised her in nearby Tidworth, Wiltshire, where she grew up as the second youngest of eight children. Large families were common in that era, and survival into old age was far less certain than it is today.
Longevity appears to run in her bloodline. Her older sister Gladys lived to 104 years and 78 days, passing away in March 2002. While genetics alone cannot explain Caterham’s exceptional lifespan, having a sister who also reached extreme old age suggests her family carried favorable traits for long life.
Edward VII sat on the British throne when Caterham was born. She remains his last surviving subject anywhere in the world. She has lived under six monarchs and received congratulatory letters from two of them.
A Solo Journey to India at 18
Adventure called early in Caterham’s life. At just 18 years old, in 1927, she accepted a job as a nanny for a British family living in India. She made the three-week journey alone by ship, an undertaking that would intimidate many young people even today.
Her time in India left lasting impressions. She later recalled being waited on by servants and enjoying both British traditions like Christmas and Indian customs such as Tiffin and Tea. For four years, she worked as a nanny in India and later in the UK, building independence and worldly experience before most women of her generation had similar opportunities.
Her willingness to say yes to that Indian adventure set the tone for decades to come. She credits that openness to experience as part of her longevity formula. Every opportunity, she believes, might lead somewhere unexpected and wonderful.
Love at a Dinner Party and a Life on the Move
In 1931, Caterham attended a dinner party that would change her life. She met Norman Caterham, a major in the British Army, and the two fell in love. They married two years later at Salisbury Cathedral, where Norman had once sung as a choirboy.
Norman rose through military ranks to become a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Pay Corps. His career took the couple around the world, with postings in Gibraltar and Hong Kong. Military life meant constant adaptation, new cultures, and new challenges. Caterham embraced each move.
During their time in Hong Kong, she established a nursery for both local and British children. She taught English, games, and crafts, creating a small community hub in a foreign land. Her entrepreneurial spirit and ability to build something meaningful wherever she landed speak to her resilient character.
Building a Family Back in England
After their international postings ended, Ethel and Norman returned to Surrey, where they raised two daughters, Gem and Anne. Caterham spent the next 50 years in Surrey, putting down roots in a community she still calls home.
Norman passed away in 1976, leaving Ethel a widow at 66. She inherited his Triumph Dolomite and kept driving it until she was 97 years old. Her independence never wavered, even as the decades passed.
Tragedy touched her life again in more recent years. She outlived both of her daughters. Gem passed away in the early 2000s, and Anne died of cancer at 82 in February 2020. Losing children, regardless of their age, ranks among life’s most painful experiences. Yet Caterham has continued forward, surrounded by three granddaughters and five great-grandchildren who carry her legacy into future generations.
Beating COVID-19 at 110
In 2020, a new virus swept across the globe. COVID-19 proved especially dangerous for elderly people, and nursing homes became sites of devastating outbreaks. Caterham contracted the virus that year at age 110.
Against steep odds, she recovered. Her survival made her one of the oldest known people to beat COVID-19. While many factors likely contributed to her recovery, her overall health and perhaps her stress-free approach to life may have played roles. Her body, tested by 110 years of living, proved stronger than a virus that felled millions.
Records She Never Sought to Break
Caterham’s accumulation of records reads like a timeline of British longevity history. On January 22, 2022, she became the oldest living person in the United Kingdom after 112-year-old Mollie Walker passed away. In August 2022, she became the first person in the UK to reach 113 since 2017. A year later, she became the first Briton since 2014 to celebrate a 114th birthday.
On April 7, 2025, she broke a record that had stood for 32 years. By surpassing Charlotte Hughes, who died in 1993, she became the oldest British person ever recorded. When Okagi Hayashi passed away on April 26, 2025, Caterham became the last surviving person born in 1909. Days later, she claimed the global title.
On August 21, 2025, she celebrated her 116th birthday, becoming the first British person ever to reach that age. King Charles III visited her personally on September 18, 2025, honoring her extraordinary life.
Why Women Dominate Longevity Records
Caterham joins a long line of women who have held the oldest living person. Since 2013, only one man has claimed the title. Jiroemon Kimura of Japan held it from December 2012 until his death in June 2013 at 116 years and 54 days.
Ben Meyers, CEO of LongeviQuest, explained the gender gap in extreme longevity. About 90% of all verified supercentenarians are female. Among the 100 oldest women ever recorded, the median age at death reached 115 years and 114 days. For men, that figure drops to 112 years and 115 days.
Biology and behavior both contribute to female longevity advantages. Women carry two X chromosomes, which may offer genetic protection against certain diseases. Women also tend to engage in less risk-taking behavior throughout their lives, reducing chances of fatal accidents or health crises.
João Marinho Neto of Brazil currently holds the title of oldest living man. He is about three years and one month younger than Caterham, a gap that aligns with historical patterns between the oldest men and women.
Life at 116 in a Surrey Care Home
Despite holding a world record, Caterham’s daily life remains pleasantly ordinary. She spends time in her garden, a section of which her care home renamed “Ethel’s Garden” in her honor. Classical music fills her days. She participates in activities organized by staff and wears a Santa hat on Christmas Day 2024.
Her care home celebrated its 10th anniversary with a party she attended. Staff describe her as an inspiration, praising her spirit and wisdom. When her record was confirmed, they threw a celebration complete with balloons and professional entertainment.
“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,” Caterham has said of her current situation.
Her contentment radiates through that statement. After 116 years of highs and lows, adventures and losses, she has found peace. She listens. She does what she likes. And she keeps waking up each morning, ready for whatever comes next.
Jeanne Louise Calment of France holds the record for the oldest person ever at 122 years and 164 days. Whether Caterham will approach that mark remains unknown. But if her philosophy holds, she probably isn’t worried about it. She never set out to break records. She just kept living her way, one argument-free day at a time.
