BIOGRAPHY

Margaret Hammond was born on High Street in Wombwell, South Yorkshire, England, on 25 May 1912, to Harold and Clara Shevill. She was the eldest of four children. In 1915, the family moved to Pearson’s Field in Wombwell, and Margaret attended Barnsley Road Infant School, followed by John Street School. After finishing school, she worked at the Co-Op restaurant on Market Street before moving on to a tailor’s shop, both in the town center. In her youth she enjoyed going to dances.

In 1936, she married Noel Leslie Hammond, known as Les, at St. Mary’s Church in Wombwell. Les was a bass-baritone singer. The couple first lived on Highstone Lane in Ward Green before moving to Clarendon Street in Barnsley, and later to Warner Avenue in Pogmoor. They had four children: Bill, Bob, Maggie, and Lynda. Les passed away in 1999.

Hammond lived independently until the age of 101, after which she moved to a care home in Wakefield. Even at 108, she still enjoyed watching soap operas and Heartbeat on TV, and had a love for shellfish and dark chocolate. One of her favorite memories was meeting Sir Kenneth Morrison, the former chairman of Morrisons supermarket, when she turned 100. Her son, Bob, passed away in 2020. She attributed her long life to eating well and maintaining good behavior.

Margaret Hammond passed away in Normanton, West Yorkshire, England, on 19 December 2022, at the age of 110 years, 208 days. She was survived by her eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Hammond’s age was verified by Dr. Andrew Holmes and validated by the ESO on 30 July 2022.

At the time of her passing, she was the second-oldest living person in West Yorkshire, after Ada Thompson.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Margaret about to turn 107” – Barnsley Chronicle, 24 May 2019

* “Barnsley woman to mark 108th birthday” – Barnsley Chronicle, 22 May 2020

* “Pandemic fails to halt 109-year-old’s birthday celebrations” – Barnsley Chronicle, 30 May 2021

* “Happy 110th birthday, Margaret Hammond” – Wakefield Express, 25 May 2022

* “Tributes paid to town’s oldest woman” – Wakefield Express, 6 January 2023

GALLERY