Genealogy Chat

Ancestor that is. I've just traced one of my families deaths in 1950's to 1970's and out of 9 brothers and sisters, all but one lived into their 90's with 3 of them reaching 100 (one as 102 when she died!!) That is not bad going!!! And it gets better!!! On a Genuki burial transcription - one of THEIR ancestors apparently died when she was 114 ..............!!!!! I think not, somehow, lolol!!!! Bev x

well, I've got a mention of my family in one of the old histories of Northumberland, saying that many of them lived to be over 100, and one was 130. (Unsubstantiated though)

Strewth Vicky - whatever they were on - can I have some???? Bev x

I just received a list of burials from Surrey archives - I had to recheck with them what I thought was an error - one of my Taylor lot was 108!!! 108 - blimey. I wonder if it was a case of you know how old dears spend three quarters of their lives taking years off their age and then when they hit 80 start adding them on? So this guy may have been 98 or something?

Mine are from near Rothbury, Northumberland. Another book I have mentions a letter published in the Times, no date given but probably the latter part of the 19th century, remarking on the longevity of the inhabitants: ''in the village of Harbottle with 120 inhabitants there were 37 children under 14 years of age, and during the last twenty years no child has died'' ''A farmer in this parish, and his three shepherds who have occupied their present situations nearly thirty years, have among them 47 children, and not a single death has occured in these families'' The Doctor also compiled a table of the ages at death for the period 1800-1825 (from the parish records) Out of a total of 1044 burials at Rothbury church, 300 were aged over 70: 3 over 100 29 aged 90-100 140 aged 80 - 90 128 aged 70 - 80 similar figures for the period 1860-1885 though none over 100 The average death rate in this parish (over most of the 19th century) was about 7 per 1000. He attributes it to 'plain substantial food, excellent water, good residences as a rule, and regular but not severe work in a pure bracing atmosphere, and [the inhabitants] are highly intelligent, and generally abstemious'. Most people were in farming, about half being sheep, some cattle, and half arable. The people who moved into the cities in the latter part of the 19th century dropped like flies.

I have an Aunt still alive who will be 100 in May.

I have one at 98 still going strong so who knows! Janet

Jules Ellenberger, 103, listed on the Centegenarian website so definately proven

Just realised - my lot are from Durham and thats just down the road from Northumberland - must be something in the water up there! Bev x

its all that fresh air .... blowing all the bugs away, and being too ffffffrrrreeeeeezing for them to survive the winter LOL

Huband's Granny died 2mth before her 100th. Oldest I have found so far is 84 on my side. My Dad will be 80 next month and hubbys dad will be 85 Sept. Marion

Several of my direct ancestors lived well into their nineties, as did others on my tree. One cousin still going strong will be 105 in a couple of weeks time Jennifer

My 7xgt grandfather Sylvester Manclarke was buried in 1784 aged 106. He was baptised in Chegrave in 1677 so I think it's probably right. Gwynne

My oldest rellie was my 4xgreat aunt, Ann Smith, who was born 27th March 1800 and died 20th July 1900. That makes her 100 years and 115 days! She was married for nearly 68 years. Merry

I have alot of octogenaireans in my tree, my grandfather was 80, ggrandmother registered as 87 but was younger, Great aunt was 87 going on 88, Nonoganaireans - great aunt(2) was 91, great great grandmother was 98 can't find anyone over 100 in my tree but i know a great great......aunt was well over 100 (her younger sister was 98 and was the first of the 2 to die)

Merry, Are my maths wrong or yours? 1800-1900=110 years? Glen

LOL just a typo!! Have changed it now, so no one will know what you are talking about!!!!! :O)) Merry

My great grandfather's brother was 6 months shy of 100. His two daughters were 97 and 100. His mother was 96 -- living 44 years longer than her husband. Another brother was 94.

Both of my Nan's are still around, one at 92 and one 95. The one at 95 lives alone in a fairly remote village and gets up to light the coal fire every morning so it's nice and warm when the home help gets there at 7.30! If my daughter's inherited their genes she'll probably get to 130.

My great gran lived to 101. She lived in a little flat with her sister who was 98 and they had a home help, but they caught the bus into the town to do their own shopping right up until not long before they died. They died quite close together. I think they missed each other. Claire xx