Is it possible....

[Lady Di]

Just wandering through a church grave yard recently and found this.

Is it possibly correct?

If so, he must have been the oldest man alive in those days 

Just goes to show that you should keep looking for those death records - anything may be possible!! 

Di

[LizzieW]

Hello Di

I gave my son in US a book about Britain and he read out some info about a very old man, who at the time was the oldest man in Britain aged 100 and something.  However, he lived all his life in Shropshire and was taken to London as a treat to meet someone important, caught something and died.  I'm not sure it is the one you have found though.  I'll e-mail my son and ask him.  He'll be at work now so may not give the answer until tomorrow.

Liz

[Ruskie]

And very specific about the months, weeks and days too! You wouldn't think anyone would be bothered to count those extra days 

Welcome home by the way Di! How was the trip?

[Lady Di]

Thanks Liz - it would be interesting to know if it is a "real" person. The headstone obviously looks new so maybe someone was replacing an old one for one of their ancestors 

Hi Ruskie - Yes, I also wondered just how accurate the days/weeks/months are as well.

It was a fabulous trip but great to be home (until I get the urge/money again    )

[LizzieW]

Di

My son has just e-mailed back from work and says the man mentioned in his book was 152!  I'll ask him to send full details, however, his laptop is caput at the moment, so it will be tomorrow before we get the full info.

Liz

[Lady Di]

Hi Liz,

Gosh - maybe William Mead was actually the same guy as in your book - how exciting.

Look forward to hearing the news whenever possible.

Thanks
Di

[LizzieW]

Hi Di

My son e-mailed me again (he's in US) and the man in his book is called Thomas Parr.  He has found a Wikipedia entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Parr

which makes interesting reading. 

Liz

[Lady Di]

Hi Liz,

Gosh - 152 years old 

He certainly had an interesting life. Not many today could claim they married at the age of 122!!

Shame it wasn't the same guy on the headstone but obviously some actually lived a loooooong life back then.

Thanks

Di

[Ruskie]

Glad you enjoyed your trip Di. Hope you found lots of ancestors 

'Fraid I don't believe either of those two lived that long - impossible. I reckon neither of them were counting the years - they may not even have known HOW to count.

I think it's highly feasible, as the article suggests, that these people were confused with older relatives.