Not to be confused with Viola Brown.
| Violet Brown | |
 Violet Brown at the age of 115. | |
| Birth: | 10 March 1900 Duanvale, Trelawny, Jamaica |
| Death: | 15 September 2017 Montego Bay, St James, Jamaica |
| Age: | 117 years, 189 days |
| Country: |  JAM
|
| Validated | |
Violet Brown (née Moss; 10 March 1900 – 15 September 2017) was a Jamaican supercentenarian who was at the time of her death, the world's oldest living person whose age has been fully authenticated by an organization that specializes in age validation. She held the title from the death of Emma Morano on 15 April 2017 until her own death five months later. She currently holds the all-time age record for Jamaica. Her nickname was ”Aunt V”. Brown was the last known subject of Queen Victoria, the British Monarch who died on 22 January 1901. Violet was 10 months old at the time.
Biography
Violet Henrietta was born in the small town of Duanvale, located in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica. Her father, John Gordon Mosse, worked as a sugar boiler. Her mother, Elizabeth (née Riley) Mosse, was a housekeeper. Violet had three other siblings. At a relatively late age, 13, she was baptized. At one point, she married Augustus Gaynor Brown. The couple had 6 children in total; four sons and two daughters. These included Harland Fairweather (1920–2017), Elsie Dowman (1923–), Irving Russell (1923–1989), Barrington Russell, Morris Davis, and Idalyn Wilks. Elsie, and Irving were twins.
Violet worked various jobs during her life, including as a domestic helper, farmer and as a dressmaker. She became a widow in 1978, when Augustus died.
Later life
At the time of her 110th birthday in 2010, it was reported that aside from deafness, Violet was in good overall physical shape. She stated that she didn’t feel her age. She attributed her long life to God, respecting her parents as well, working hard and eating coconut sauce. Some of her favourite pastimes include going to church, reading books and listening to music.
At the time of her 113th birthday in 2013, it was reported that she was still in overall excellent health, with her memory still intact. It was revealed that Violet maintained a book that recorded every deceased person in the Duanvale area between 1950–1978. At the age of 115, she was still able to walk (with the help of a walker) and could read without any glasses.
Violet’s son Harland Fairweather (15 April 1920 – 19 April 2017) died at the age of 97 and lived with his mother for years.
Violet Brown died in Montego Bay, St. James, Jamaica on 15 September 2017, at the age of 117 years, 189 days. Following her death, Nabi Tajima became the oldest living validated person in the world, as well as the last known validated person born in the 19th century.
Age verification
While reported in local media since at least age 109, an application to Gerontology Research Group (GRG) was submitted in June 2013. Her case was accepted on 26 July 2014 when she was 114 years old. Though there were multiple claims of birthdates: 4th, 10th and 15th March 1900, the GRG officially recognized her with the 10 March 1900 birthdate.
Legacy
In March 2022, the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honorable Olivia Grange, had unveiled a monument in tribute to Violet Brown.
Gallery
See also
- List of oldest validated supercentenarians
- Latin American supercentenarians
References
- GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP
- 1900 birth certificate (Index)
- Jamaica Observer 19 March 2009
- Jamaica Gleaner 8 March 2010
- Jamaica Observer 29 March 2013
- Jamaica Observer 19 March 2015
- La Stampa 15 April 2017
- World's oldest person dies at 117 Jamaica (The) Star, 16 September 2017
- The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has unveiled a monument in tribute to Violet Moss Brown Hon. Olivia "Babsy" Grange on Facebook, 12 March 2022
| Jamaica's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • T • E) |
|
Ida Stewart • Lillian Anderson • Eugena Davidson • Violet Brown • Beatrice Byfield • Eslin Mulgrave-Collins • Eunis Pryce • Amy Dixon • Louisea McDonald • Leanora Watson • Nora Miller-Welsh • Uton Samuels |