The Watcher

She may have been barely 17 but probably could have passed for 13 or 14 which could be why she was being shipped & shopped around. While your point is valid, if she had been 18 (not much older than his daughters were at the time) his Randy Andy act might have been less abhorrent - although Fergie won't hear a word aginst him & says he discusses football with his babygrandchild.

In an autobiography many years ago, Boycott wrote that he was very rarely out in the 'Nervous Nineties' so either 80-89 or 100+?

Peter Cellier (93) who was a smooth civil servant in Yes Minister must be worth considering as must Sir Humphrey's boss John Nettleton (91). Also Geoffrey Chater (100), William Russell (96), Robert Fyffe (95), Stanley Baxter (95), Doreen Mantle (94), Leonard Fenton (94) & Joss Ackland (93).

Teddie Beverley - the last surviving member of the Beverley Sisters - is 94 & worth considering.

Both of Jon Pertwee's former wives are still alive as are those of John Thaw. Other famous actors who died a long time ago but still have a living spouse are John Gregory who died back in 1975 & played Gideon of the Yard. His widow Thea Gregory (nee Reddish) is 95 this year. Ray Barrett inThe Troubleshooters died in 2009 & may still have all 3 of his former wives alive. Eric Morecombe died 37 years ago & his widow Joan is on TV this week reminiscing with her children.

She may not be interenationally known but Eileen Whelan (Ash) is 110 later this year. She played test cricket for England before WW2 & is the only cricketer alive who overlapped with W G Grace (1848-1915).

And yet June Spencer (b 14/06/1919) is 102 and continues in The Archers as Peggy Woolley.

He claims his grandmother lived to 135.

Good choice. She was always one who could match Paul Merton although without his realms of fantasy & humour. However, this probably means that he will be a permanent panel member & achieve his ambition to appear more often on JAM than any other panellist - only Clement Freud (he who should not be named) to pass now. Stephen Fry never performs as well as one would expect him to - his polymathic genius seems to stop him remembering the basic 3 rules of JAM!

So, with Woodcock's death, does anyone living have a parent (realistically a father) born as long ago as 1857 or a grandparent born as long ago as 1815?

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.