| Yam Karicho | |
 | |
| Birth: | 26 February/10 March 1863? Java Island, Indonesia |
| Death: | 30 August 1977 Kampung Bereh, Lim Chu Kang, North Region, Singapore |
| Age: | 114 years, 173-185 days? |
| Country: |  IDN SGP
|
| Unvalidated | |
Yam Kar(i)cho (26 February/10 March 1863? – 30 August 1977) was an Indonesian-Singaporean supercentenarian claimant whose age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Biography[]
Yam Karicho claimed to have been born between 26 February and 10 March 1863 in Java Island, Indonesia. She witnessed the eruption of a volcano, which made Java's ground shake and Surabaya's sky get dusty (probably the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa).
Yam emigrated to Singapore at the age of 24; at that time, Bukit Timah still was a jungle. She married four times, but never had children and survived all her husbands.
In October 1973, aged 110, Yam was reported to be living alone in Kampung Bereh, without family and children, in a seedy hut.
In 1974, Yam walked on a rusty nail while going to toilets, and had swollen legs. She was reported to live with a black cat. She received 43$ a month from the Social Welfare Department, and lived with the help of her neighbours. In March 1974, she received presents from people from Singapore and Malaysia, her sad story having drawn attention.
A week before her death, Yam fell ill, and was later taken to hospital by her neighbours. Yam Karicho died on 30 August 1977 in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Novena, Central Region, Singapore, at the claimed age of 114 years, 173-185 days.
Potential Longevity Records[]
If validated, she would have been the oldest living person in the world at the time of her death, from the death of Alice Stevenson on 18 August 1973 to her own death on 30 August 1977, being older than Elizabeth Watkins (or as aged as her), Mito Umeta and Niwa Kawamoto.
References[]
- Hidup Tok Yam sepi tanpa keluarga, saudara dan anak... Berita Harian, 21 October 1973 (page 3)
- Tok Yam wamita paling tua di S'pura? Berita Harian, 10 March 1974 (page 1)
- Tok Yam dapat simpati dari dalam dan luar negeri Berita Harian, 14 March 1974 (page 5)
- Tok Yam terus mendapat perhatian ramai Berita Harian, 18 March 1974 (page 2)
- Lagi simpati untuk Tok Yam Berita Harian, 9 May 1974 (page 5)
- Dari gadis2 kilang utk Tok Yam Berita Harian, 21 May 1974 (page 5)
- Tok Yam yang diberitakan uzur masih lagi sihat Berita Harian, 13 August 1974 (page 2)
- H-Raya tak bawa sebarang kesan kepada Tok Yam Berita Harian, 17 October 1974 (page 5)
- Tok Yam kini dalam keadaan uzur Berita Harian, 25 February 1975 (page 8)
- Tok Yam kelihatan sihat tetapi... Berita Harian, 18 May 1977 (page 6)
- Oldest Singaporean, 114, dies at hospital The Straits Times, 30 August 1977 (page 10)
- Tok Yam wanita yang dipercayai paling tua meninggal Berita Harian, 31 August 1977 (page 1)
- At 114, she's Singapore's oldest woman Asia One, 17 December 2011