| Jeanetta Thomas | |
 | |
| Birth: | 2 December 1869 Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, UK |
| Death: | 5 January 1982 Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK |
| Age: | 112 years, 34 days |
| Country: |  UK
|
| Validated | |
Jeanetta Jane Thomas (2 December 1869 – 5 January 1982), also spelled as Janetta Thomas, was a British supercentenarian who was the oldest known living person in Europe at the time of her death. She was also the last surviving person in Europe born in the 1860s whose age has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group.
Biography
Thomas was born on 2 December 1869 in Llantrisant, Wales. She spent her youth in London working as a seamstress. At the age of around 40, she returned to Wales to open a drapery shop, which she ran until the age of 98. She died in Cowbridge, Wales, on 5 January 1982 at the age of 112 years, 34 days.
Longevity Records
Welsh Records
Thomas became the first Welsh person ever to attain supercentenarian status when she celebrated her 110th birthday on 2 December 1979. She remained the longest-lived person ever from Wales until her record was broken by Anna Eliza Williams on 7 July 1985. However, since Williams was born in England, Thomas remained the longest-lived person ever born in Wales until she was surpassed by John Evans on 23 September 1989.
She was the oldest known woman ever born in Wales until Lilian Priest surpassed her age on 12 December 2018.
UK Records
Thomas became the last surviving British person born in 1869 following the death of 110 year-old Constance Young on 27 July 1980. Thomas later became the oldest living person in the United Kingdom, as well as the last British person born in the 1860s, following the death of 111 year-old Florence Pannell on 20 October 1980. After Thomas's death, Alice Brewster became the UK's oldest living person.
Thomas was the second person from the UK to reach their 112th birthday, after Alice Stevenson in 1973. When she died on 5 January 1982, Thomas was just five days short of tying Stevenson's record of 112 years, 39 days.
International Records
Following the death of 112 year-old Augustine Tessier on 8 March 1981, Thomas became the oldest living person in Europe and the last surviving European born in the 1860s. After Thomas's death, fellow Brit Alice Brewster became Europe's oldest living person.
At the time of her death, Thomas was the second-oldest living person in the world, after Nellie Spencer.
References
- Chronological Listing Of All Supercentenarians Gerontology Research Group
- All Validated British Supercentenarians Oldest in Britain