Lucy d'Abreu

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Lucy Victoria d'Souza d'Abreu (24 May 1892 – 7 December 2005)[1] was the oldest living person in the United Kingdom from April 2004 until her death. She gained the title of "oldest person in Scotland" in June 2001,[citation needed] at age 109, following the death of Agnes Kinnear, born November 1891, who was 109 as well at the time,[citation needed] and the UK title on April 28, 2004, at almost age 112, following the death of Gladys Hawley, who was 112.[2]

Born in Dharwar, India,[3] Lucy Victoria d'Souza married Abundius d'Abreu, a surgeon, and moved to Ireland c. 1913.[1] In 1985, she moved to Scotland to be near one of her children. Her husband was a cousin-in-law of the Queen Mother,[4] and she was visited by the British Royal Family in May 2002, for her 110th birthday.[3]

D'Abreu holds the record for the oldest person born in India whose age can be verified.[citation needed] After a fall at the age of 106, she moved to Annfield House nursing home in Stirling,[5] where she died peacefully, aged 113 years and 197 days. Historically, it should be noted that she was one of the last people, if not the last person, to have lived in India during Queen Victoria's reign, and also during the Great Famine of 1896-1902.[citation needed]

[edit] References

^ a b "BBC report on her death Most senior citizen dies aged 113", BBC News (9 December 2005). Retrieved on 2007-11-19.

^ Validated supercentenarians who lived and/or died in the UK The Gerontology Research Group

^ a b "Oldest Briton dies aged 113", Daily Mail (9 December 2005). Retrieved on 2007-11-19.

^ "Celtic lifestyle is key to longevity", Belfast Telegraph (12 December 2005). Retrieved on 2008-09-19.

^ "UK's oldest woman reaches 111", BBC News (24 May 2003). Retrieved on 2008-09-19.