BIOGRAPHY

Priest was born in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, Wales, UK, on 7 November 1908. She had at least one younger sister, Mary Gwendoline (1911–2023). She moved to Bournemouth, Dorset, England at the age of 18 to work in a friend’s bed and breakfast for six months.

At some point, she married Arthur Priest, with whom she had at least one child, Wendy. The couple did a lot of travelling until their early 80’s, visiting places such as Russia, Australia, Romania, Yugoslavia and Spain. In 1969, the couple moved to Swanage.

At the age of 112, she had two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Priest passed away in Swanage, Dorset, England, UK, on 6 June 2021.

RECOGNITION

Priest’s age was verified by Andrew Holmes and validated by the ESO on 24 January 2020.

On 24 October 2020, following the death of 112-year-old Joan Hocquard, she became the oldest living person in the United Kingdom.

On 12 December 2020, at the age of 112 years, 35 days, she surpassed the final age of Jeanetta Thomas, becoming the oldest woman ever born in Wales, and the second-oldest person ever born in Wales, behind John Evans. She held the title until Mollie Walker surpassed her final age on 5 September 2021.

On 4 June 2021, following the death of Phyllis Ridgway, she became the oldest living British-born person. Priest died two days later at the age of 112 years, 211 days. Following her death, Gertrude Kingston became the UK’s oldest living person.

Her younger sister, Mary Gwendoline Moore, passed away in Australia on 31 March 2023, at the age of 111 years, 119 days. With the final combined age of 223 years, 330 days, they are one of the oldest sibling pairs on record.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Britain’s oldest person celebrates 112th birthday at Swanage home” – Bournemouth Echo, 7 November 2020

* “Britain’s oldest person has Covid jab aged 112 as family still unable to see her” – The Mirror, 21 January 2021

GALLERY