| Alice Stevenson | |
 Stevenson on her 111th birthday in 1972 | |
| Birth: | 10 July 1861 Piccadilly, London, England, UK |
| Death: | 18 August 1973 Sutton, London, England, UK |
| Age: | 112 years, 39 days |
| Country: |  UK
|
| Validated | |
Alice Stevenson (10 July 1861 – 18 August 1973) was a British supercentenarian who, at the time of her death, was the oldest living person in world whose age has since been validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). She was also the longest-lived person ever to have resided in the UK until her record was broken in 1985.
Biography[]
Stevenson was born in Piccadilly, London, England, UK on 10 July 1861. She never married or had any children. In her later life, she lived in a nursing home in Sutton, London. She stated on her 108th birthday in 1969 that she "doesn't believe in medicine or television". She died on 18 August 1973 at the age of 112 years, 39 days.
Longevity Records[]
On 11 January 1970, Stevenson became the oldest living person in the United Kingdom following the death of Ada Roe, who at the time was the longest-lived person ever to have resided in the UK (British-born Betsy Baker of the USA was older). Stevenson later surpassed Roe's record of 111 years, 339 days on 15 June 1973. Stevenson's record of 112 years, 39 days lasted until it was broken by Anna Eliza Williams on 12 July 1985.
Stevenson has been retrospectively recognised as the oldest living person in the world from the death of 112-year-old Spaniard Josefa Salas Mateo on 27 February 1973 until her own death on 18 August that year. However, Stevenson was not officially recognised as the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records at the time, although it was speculated that she might hold the title in several contemporary news articles.
Following Stevenson's death, 110 year-old Elizabeth Watkins of Northern Ireland became the oldest living person both the UK and the world whose age has since been validated by the GRG.
References[]
- Table B - Verified Supercentenarians (Ranked By Age) Gerontology Research Group
- All Validated British Supercentenarians Oldest in Britain
- "You're telling me" Reading Eagle, 29 August 1969
- "What'll ya' have? 100 either way" The Pittsburgh Press, 16 August 1973
- Oldest Briton Is Dead At 112 Years, 39 Days New York Times, 21 August 1973