Dorothy Peel

BIOGRAPHY

Dorothy Peel was born in Alne, North Yorkshire, England, on 28 September 1902. During World War II, she was twice bombed out of her home in Hull. The first bomb fell between her family’s shelter and the neighboring one, killing the people next door. The second bomb struck her apartment building, and she was rescued by Freddie Peel—the man who would later become her husband. They got married in 1956, when she was 54, and her husband died in 1975. The couple had no children.

In 2005, she moved to Westbourne Lodge in Bridlington. Until 2012, she regularly went shopping in Bridlington with her nephew. On her 110th birthday, she attributed her longevity to quitting smoking—though she only did so at the age of 103, after developing bronchitis and being warned by her doctor that her life was at risk. She remarked that she had previously smoked 20 cigarettes a day.

At the time, she was living in a care home, where she still enjoyed a mid-afternoon sherry and a daily glass of whiskey. Although she suffered from hearing loss, her mind remained sharp.

Dorothy Peel passed away in Bridlington, on 24 June 2014, at the age of 111 years, 269 days.

RECOGNITION

At the time of her passing, she was the second-oldest living person in the United Kingdom, after Ethel Lang.

Peel’s age was verified by Dr. Andrew Holmes, and was validated by the ESO on 10 April 2020.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Dorothy turns 107 and says secret to long life is booze and fags” – Mirror, 3 October 2009

* ““I’m glad I quit smoking aged 104,” says 110-year-old” – Uca News, 1 October 2012

* “A 111-year-old’s secret to a long life? 20 cigs a day and a pint” – DailyStar, 29 September 2013

* “Tributes to Dorothy Peel who has died aged 111 – an amazing woman who enjoyed a little of what she fancied” – HullDailymail, 3 July 2014

GALLERY

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