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Ethel Lang (supercentenarian)

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Ethel Lang
Born
Ethel Lancaster

(1900-05-27)27 May 1900
Died(2015-01-15)15 January 2015
(aged 114 years, 233 days)
Known forOldest living person in the UK between 14 November 2013 and 15 January 2015
Spouse(s)William Lang (m. 1922–1988; his death); 1 child[1]

Ethel Lang (née Lancaster;[2] 27 May 1900 – 15 January 2015)[3][4] was a British supercentenarian who, at the time of her death, was the oldest living person in the United Kingdom[4] and the second-oldest living person in Europe after Emma Morano of Italy. She was the last living British person to have been born in the British Empire during the reign of Queen Victoria[4] and the second-last living person in the British Empire to have been born during her reign. The last was Jamaican woman Violet Brown.[5] Lang was the last British person to have been born in the 19th century.

Biography

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Lang was born in Worsbrough, near Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire, to miner Charles Lancaster and his wife Sarah. Her mother lived to the age of 91, one of her sisters lived to be 104 and her great-grandmother died in 1848 aged 92.[1] At the time of Lang's death, her daughter Margaret was still alive at 91 years old.[1]

Lang left school at age 13 to work in a shirt factory. She married William Lang, the son of an alderman and councillor in 1922 and their daughter Margaret was born in 1923. William died in 1988 at age 92.[6] She lived independently until the age of 105.[1][4][7][8] Lang became the United Kingdom's oldest living person upon the death of Grace Jones on 14 November 2013.[4]

Lang died on 15 January 2015 in Barnsley, at 114 years, 233 days old. At the time of her death, she was the fourth-longest-lived person ever in the United Kingdom, after Charlotte Hughes, Annie Jennings and Eva Morris. After her death, Gladys Hooper became the United Kingdom's oldest living person.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Ethel Lang: Shirtmaker and coalminer's daughter whose death at 114 made her the last Victorian in Britain". The Independent. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  2. ^ Harston, Katia (1 June 2013). "Ethel turns 113 with cake and cuppa". Barnsley Chronicle. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Validated Living Supercentenarians". Gerontology Research Group. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Ethel Lang: Oldest British person who was born during reign of Queen Victoria dies aged 114". The Independent. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Five things we learned last month". Slow Journalism. 7 April 2015. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  6. ^ "Britain's oldest person Ethel Lang dies aged 114". The Telegraph. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Ethel in fine form at 108". The Star. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  8. ^ "Ethel turns 110". Barnsley Town Talk. 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  9. ^ "Britain's oldest person celebrates 112th birthday". ITV. Retrieved 12 September 2016.