BIOGRAPHY

Purificación Martínez Julián was born in Madrid, Spain, on 2 February 1906. She began fishing at the age of seven, in 1913. One of eight children, she was taken in her youth by a sister to the home of a landowning family in Barajas, where she helped care for their young children. She continued working for the family in their mansion—later situated near the airport—until she got married.

She married her husband, Simón Losada, at the age of 24, in 1930. They settled on what is now known as 25 Teseo Street. At the start of the Spanish Civil War—which claimed the lives of her three brothers—Simón served as a driver at the front, while she worked the fields, harvesting peas and beans from the land in Campo de las Naciones. She walked more than 60 kilometers round-trip to bring food home for her children. After the war, as her husband’s job situation improved, she dedicated herself entirely to her family. She managed a household of six, hand-washing laundry, cooking, and raising the children.

When asked about the secret to her longevity, her first answer was, “Obedience.” According to her family, a sense of seriousness and integrity had been instilled in her from the moment she entered domestic service as a child.

At the age of 108, she had 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Purificación Martínez: ripense de 108 años” – Rivas Vaciamadrid, 13 May 2014

* “Puri, la madrileña que empezó a trabajar antes de que estallara la I Guerra Mundial” – ABC Madrid, 10 December 2014

GALLERY