104-year-old twins, believed to be Britain’s oldest, have revealed their secret to “staying young” and living a long life.
Elma Harris and Thelma Barratt, who were born half an hour apart in Stockport in August 1919, now live together in a nursing home in Lancashire.
Talking to the BBC News The sisters shared their secret to a long life, saying a positive attitude, good food and a bold brandy and lemonade every night is the key.
“If you feel young, you stay young,” Elma said. The twin added: “We look at each other and say, ‘Who would have thought we would live to this age?'” Thelma admitted, “We didn’t, but we’re still here.”
At the age of 14, the sisters began working as packers and labelers at Smiths Crisps after asking if there were any jobs on the way home from school.
Elma Harris and Thelma Barratt, who were born half an hour apart in Stockport in August 1919, now live together in a nursing home in Lancashire.
They were 19 years old when World War II broke out; Thelma continued to work at Smiths, but was called to work at the nearby Fairey Aviation factory manufacturing parts for the RAF.
Thelma said, “Well, at night the bombs fell on us.” Elma added: ‘Although the airstrikes occurred at night, we still had to go to work the next day. When it was over we celebrated, there was a lot of dancing.’
They left their jobs when they got married at age 21, just three months apart. Elma married Bill Hewitt, a carpenter, and Thelma married Joseph Barratt, a hatter.
Thelma said: ‘He worked in the hat trade and if he was caught without a hat he was fined half a crown.
“Many times when we were courting, they would rush me to a doorway because he had seen them in the distance.”
Elma’s first husband, Bill, died shortly after the war, while Thelma’s husband, Joe, was captured in Italy and became a prisoner of war.
The sisters said they always enjoyed a good night out and often went dancing at nightclubs.
The twins said they didn’t always get along as well as they do now, and said they came close to “sometimes gouging each other’s eyes out” in their youth.
At the age of 14, the sisters began working as packers and labelers at Smiths Crisps after asking if there were any jobs on the way home from school (Thelma, left, and Elma).
The twins were born half an hour apart in Stockport in August 1919 (twins, with older brother Robert)
It comes after Britain’s 12th oldest man turned 107 and revealed the breakfast that keeps him going every day.
Leonard Howes, born in 1916, served in World War II and has seen five different monarchs during his lifetime.
Howes has received four cards from Buckingham Palace: one for his 100th birthday, one for his 105th and each year after.
Leonard, the oldest person in his hometown of Bristol, celebrated his 107th birthday with his entire family by his side.
Bristol City fan Len, as he is affectionately known by his family, left school at 14 to train as a plumber.
Commenting on what has helped him live such a long life, his daughter-in-law, Carol Howes, said: “He attributes his long life to eating shredded wheat with whole milk and lots of sugar for as long as he can remember.” .’