Friday 15 May 2015

(PICTURE) OLDEST SISTERS IN THE WORLD WITH A COMBINED AGE OF 391


Four sisters are set to become the world's oldest siblings with a combined age of nearly 400 and claim their secret to a long life is down to eating only British food.

Twins Freda and Doris Latham have just celebrated their 101st birthday alongside sisters Gladys Camp, 96, and Phyllis Friend, 93, in their home county of Devon.

Between the four of them, they have lived through 19 Prime Ministers, four monarchs and survived two World Wars.

Their combined age of 391 years beats the previous record of the world's oldest set of sisters who had a combined age of 386.

The four siblings put their long and record-breaking life down to a healthy British diet and claim to avoid spicy, rich food.

They are now hoping to get their achievement officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Gladys, who lives in Kentisbury, Devon, while the other three live in nearby Barnstaple, said: 'It would be wonderful if we were officially recognised as the oldest sisters in the world. People are talking about the world, not just in this country.

'Our parents would be shocked. It is a great achievement. I think part of the reason we have survived so long is because of the food we ate.

'It was the way we were brought up - I am positive of it. Today they have all spiced-up things and I don't think it does you any good.

'We had some lovely times all together when we were children.'

Doris also believes their longevity is down to diet and was influenced by war-time rations.

She said: 'There were six years of war. It was all plain food and we didn't have anything fatty.

'Father used to plant the garden and we always had plenty of vegetables. Mum was a good cook and we always learned from her over the years.'

Between them, the four sisters have 11 children, 12 grandchildren, five great grandchildren and even two great-great grandchildren.

Their combined total age figure would have been higher but their other two sisters Amy, 95, and May, 98, passed away recently.

Gladys said: 'We were very close and it is just a shame that Amy and May cannot share this achievement. But they did also nearly make it to 100 as well.' 

The 96-year-old, who used to run a petrol station and shop which is now run by her son and daughter-in-law, said her parents would be amazed to know that all six of their daughters had made it to their 90s.

She said: 'Dad was only 71 when he died, and mum was 75 so there was nothing in the genes.

'It is an incredible achievement. We are really excited that we could be world record breakers.'

The previous record for the world’s oldest sisters was held by Lillian Brown, 103, Dorothy Thompson, Ellen George, 96, and Sylvia Sturgess, 91, from Leicestershire and Northampton.

They have a total of six children, 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

The pensioners also had a fifth sister called Gladys Merritt who died aged 85 in 2000 - and their mother Ellen Clarke lived until she was 102. 



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