The Watcher

Not a world title but Eileen Ash (born 30 October 1911) played Test cricket for England before WW2.

Sue Barker's mother is 100 in a few days.

Yes, you are correct. I was mixing up my David F's! I think I was remembering the Gimblett book - which was titled Tormented Genius?

Foot was a fine writer and wrote an exceptionally regarded book on cricket suicides. John Woodcock has written very few cricket books but was cricket correspondent of The Times for decades and has met everyone from Bradman to Broad and Eileen Ash (Whelan) to John Manners. Woodcock whose paternal grandfather was born before the Battle of Waterloo nears his century with every completed run/year - something that Gerald Howat (another fine cricket writer) failed to do by 21 years.

Before her death, she was the oldest former subject of King Edward VII still alive.

Arthur Smith will turn 106 on May 8th 2021. He played his first Football League match in December 1934 - almost 5 years before the start of WW2. His career was with Bury and Leicester City. He is believed to be the oldest ever Football League player of the 44179 players (to date) who have appeared since the League was formed in 1888. He is now older than the oldest ever County Cricketer John Manners who died in 2020 aged 105.

Neither is Prince Michael of Kent which is far more surprising than his wife not going. Once the Queen remarked that Proncess Michael was "more royal than us".

Amazing list but how could Princess Cecilie die 2 years before her stillborn son? Astonishing that Prince Philip has outlived so many of his nephews & nieces.

Geoffrey Chater is 100 next month. He is the oldest surviving actor who appeared in One Foot in the Grave.

There is an online article quoting her when she was 99 & recalling her sons' careers. The Margaret Everly who died in 1975 is obviously someone with the same name.

One theory is that Jimmy Carter has lived longer (40+years) after leaving the presidency thatn any other ex-president in US history - which of course is less than 300 years according to the white extremists.

Trump won't even attend his own! Seriously, he will probably ban lots of people just as John McCann banned Trump but let Trump's daughter & son-in-law attend. Now the latter two are as bad almost as Trump.

A widow for over 80 years. There can hardly have been anyone in the world with a parent (logically a father) born so long ago as her husband, but a spouse to have had a partner born so long ago when one died in 2020 has to be a record breaker/creator?

John Thaw's first wife is still alive as well.

Kane Tanaka was born before Margaret Ann Neve died (b 18 May 1792) on 4 April 1903 aged 110 y 321 d. Margaret is regarded as the very first British super centenarian. A span between her & Kane that involves 4 different centuries.

Apart from 3 very senior Archers actresses who are the only soap performers to be listed above William Roache on the site that lists longest performing 'soapstars', what about Leonard Fenton (94) who was the original doctor in Eastenders? William Russell (96) was not only in Coronation Street but also the first episode of Dr Who. Mark Eden who has just died was not only in Coronation Street but also the first series of Dr Who.

Where are Norman Lloyd (105), Eileen Whelan (109), June Spencer (101), Clarissa Eden (100), Phillippe de Gaulle (99), Glynis Johns (97), William Russell (96), Walter Fawkes {Trog} (96), Robert Fyffe (95), John Woodcock (94), Doreen Mantle (94), Leonard Fenton (94), Joan le Mesurier (89)?

Phillippe de Gaulle is 99 today. Famous in his own right as well as being the only surviving child of the French WW2 leader.

Ray Brooks voiced the Rupert Bear series on BBC1 in the late 80's. He famously said that the inane rhyming couplets & the repetitious format of the series meant he was as drunk as possible without slurring the words before each session in the recording studio.

William Roache (who has said he feels he will live to 120 due to his lifestyle & postive energy) said on the 60th Anniversary of Coronation Street documentary that he hoped to be the first centenarian to appear on a soap; however he should have stated "TV soap" as June Spencer was on The Archers last night & she is aged 101.

Gerald Sinstadt (90), Dickie Davis (87) & Barry Davies (82) are the last of the sports presenting/commentating gang now from pre-decimalisation days. (Apart from S Hall)

So Murray Walker outlived them all?

For many years while Desmond Morris was presenting Zootime, his namesake Johnny Morris (no relation) was presenting a similar programme on the only other UK channel called Animal Magic. Only one of the presenters resorted to animal impressions.

Norman Lloyd, Eileen Ash or Philippe de Gaulle.

Very sad news - only just over half the age of Eileen Ash who played Test cricket before WW2.