| Florrie Baldwin | |
 Florrie Baldwin at the age of 110 | |
| Birth: | 31 March 1896 Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England, UK |
| Death: | 8 May 2010 Pudsey, West Yorkshire, England, UK |
| Age: | 114 years, 38 days |
| Country: |  UK
|
| Validated | |
Florence Emily "Florrie" Baldwin (née Davies; 31 March 1896 – 8 May 2010) was a British supercentenarian who, at the time of her death, was the second-oldest living person in the world (behind Eugenie Blanchard). She was also the last surviving British person born before 1898. Her age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group.
Biography
Early Life
Baldwin was born on 31 March 1896 in the Hunslet district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. She was one of seven children born to Methusalem Davies (1861–1946) and Florence Susannah Bird (1863–1926). She remembered the Second Boer War and, at the age of four, seeing Queen Victoria when she visited Leeds.
Florrie Baldwin at the age of 15
In 1920, Baldwin married painter and decorator Clifford Baldwin, and they had two children together, Maisie and Dylis. Maisie later married a Wornsop and Dylis married a Samuels. They saved up to buy a three-bedroom house for £350 just before the outbreak of the Second World War. Until retiring in her 70s, Baldwin worked as a wages clerk in an engineering firm.
Later Life
After her husband's death in 1973, Baldwin continued to live alone until she was 105, still being able to put up curtains and clean windows even as a centenarian. She then moved to Radcliffe Gardens, a nursing home in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, England. Baldwin ascribed her longevity to eating a fried egg sandwich every day, while her daughter believed it was due to not drinking or smoking.
Baldwin became a supercentenarian in March 2006. In 2007, she was interviewed for the Channel 4 documentary The Oldest People in the World. In the final years of her life, she suffered from dementia. As of 2009, she had two grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. She died on 8 May 2010 at the age of 114 years, 38 days.
Longevity Records
British Records
Baldwin became the oldest living person in the United Kingdom following the death of 111 year-old Ada Mason on 9 February 2007. For her 111th birthday the following month, Baldwin was visited by representatives for Guinness World Records to officially recognise her as the nation's oldest person.
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Baldwin at the age of 114
Following the death of 113 year-old Henry Allingham on 18 July 2009, Baldwin became the last surviving person in the UK born in 1896. She subsequently became the last surviving person in the UK born before 1898 following the death of 112 year-old Annie Butler on 28 September 2009.
On 31 March 2010, Baldwin celebrated her 114th birthday, becoming only the seventh British person on record to reach this milestone. Following her death 38 days later, Eunice Bowman became the UK's oldest living person.
International Records
Baldwin became the oldest living person in Europe following the death of 113 year-old Italian woman Lucia Lauria on 28 June 2009 however Eugenie Blanchard was born in Guadeloupe which was part of the European Union when it was still a part of Saint Barts in 1896.
Baldwin became the second-oldest living person in the World following the death of Japanese woman Kama Chinen on 2 May 2010 who was the Worlds oldest person. Following her own death six days later, Venere Pizzinato-Papo became Europe's oldest living person.
References
- Gerontology Research Group
- All Validated British Supercentenarians Oldest in Britain
- Oldest woman in Britain reveals 110-year secret The Yorkshire Post, 17 February 2007 (via The Wayback Machine)
- Guinness World Records to attend Florrie's party Yorkshire Evening Post, 26 March 2007 (via The Wayback Machine)
- UK's oldest person celebrates her 112th birthday The Mirror, 1 April 2008
- Oldest woman celebrates birthday BBC, 31 March 2009
- VIDEO: Leeds woman celebrates 113th birthday Yorkshire Evening Post, 1 April 2009 (via The Wayback Machine)
- Pudsey woman is 113 Telegraph & Argus, 1 July 2009
- Meet Florrie Baldwin, Europe's oldest person The Independent, 28 March 2010
- Europe's oldest person dies The Telegraph, 10 May 2010 (via The Wayback Machine)