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UK's oldest person Gladys Hooper turns 113 | UK's oldest person Gladys Hooper turns 113 |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The UK's oldest person, Gladys Hooper, is celebrating her 113th birthday. | |
The great-grandmother, who lives on the Isle of Wight, is the country's most senior supercentenarian, according to the Gerontology Research Group records. | |
Last year, she became the oldest person in the world to have a hip replacement, aged 112. | Last year, she became the oldest person in the world to have a hip replacement, aged 112. |
The former concert pianist, who lives at Highfield Nursing Home, said: "I don't feel very different to when I was 75." | The former concert pianist, who lives at Highfield Nursing Home, said: "I don't feel very different to when I was 75." |
She said she would be happy to celebrate with family and friends, a cup of tea and a slice of cake. | She said she would be happy to celebrate with family and friends, a cup of tea and a slice of cake. |
Her son Derek Hermiston, 85, said she had also told him she "wouldn't mind a nice new set of teeth". | Her son Derek Hermiston, 85, said she had also told him she "wouldn't mind a nice new set of teeth". |
As a young woman, he said she was "always the centre of parties". | As a young woman, he said she was "always the centre of parties". |
"Now, we see her hands moving up and down and I think she dreams quite a lot of her piano days," the retired pilot said. | "Now, we see her hands moving up and down and I think she dreams quite a lot of her piano days," the retired pilot said. |
"I think she has melodies going through her head." | "I think she has melodies going through her head." |
He added the family had recently been informed by Guinness World Records that she was the oldest person with a new hip, which he described as "quite a moment". | He added the family had recently been informed by Guinness World Records that she was the oldest person with a new hip, which he described as "quite a moment". |
Born in Dulwich, south east London, on 18 January 1903 she was the oldest, and now the only surviving member, of six siblings - five girls and one boy. | Born in Dulwich, south east London, on 18 January 1903 she was the oldest, and now the only surviving member, of six siblings - five girls and one boy. |
She was brought up in Rottingdean, East Sussex, and went on to become a concert pianist before starting a car hire business in the 1920s. | She was brought up in Rottingdean, East Sussex, and went on to become a concert pianist before starting a car hire business in the 1920s. |
Gladys Hooper's life | |
She later ran Kingscliff House School, which is now Brighton College. | She later ran Kingscliff House School, which is now Brighton College. |
After being widowed in 1988 she moved to Ryde on the Isle of Wight to live near her son. | After being widowed in 1988 she moved to Ryde on the Isle of Wight to live near her son. |
Mr Hermiston also said his mother witnessed the shooting down of a German airship in 1916 by Lt William Leefe Robinson, who was awarded the Victoria Cross, and she is set to feature in a documentary being made by the pilot's great-nephew. |
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