Eunice Bowman
Bowman lived independently up until two years ago when she moved into a home in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, where she died on Friday.
Last August on her birthday, she gave a secret to her longevity, saying, “I have never drank alcohol or smoked. I have had a happy life,” She also said that a ‘tipple of honey’ had helped her along the way. “The tipple of honey is what keeps me going, really. I have had a simple life, but I have had some great memories along the way.”
Bowman was born in Wigan, Lancashire and was the second of 12 children to Thomas Crook, a cotton mill worker and his wife Sarah. Due to the fall of the textile industry, the family moved north-east in 1905 so her father could find work at the collieries. Living through two world wars Bowman worked in a munitions factory. Widowed twice, she has six children, who in turn gave her 17 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.
Over 22 prime ministers have been in office through her life time.
Grand-daughter of Bowman’s cousin, said, “Although we knew it would happen one day, it is still incredibly sad. It is just mind-blowing how many significant historical events Eunice lived through, you just wouldn’t have time to talk about them all.”
The Guinness World Records confirmed that Bowman was Britain’s oldest person after the death of Florrie Baldwin aged 114 in May. The oldest living man, Stanley Lucas born in January 1900 died just one month before Bowman. Having received seven birthday cards from the Queen, he said his secret was never smoking, enjoying only the odd glass of sherry, and never travelling far from home.
Filed under: Birthday News
