BIOGRAPHY

Sharp was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 28 September 1861.

At the age of 102, she still took pleasure in her hobby of painting banksia and gum nuts to raise funds for missions worldwide. She attributed her health and vitality to belief in the goodness of people. At the time, she had five grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Sharp passed away in the suburb of Nollamara of Perth, Western Australia, Australia, on 3 May 1971, at the age of 109 years, 217 days.

RECOGNITION

Her date of birth was originally validated as 6 April 1861 by the Guinness Book of Records, and the validation was later recognized by the Gerontology Research Group. Her date of death was validated as 15 May 1971, giving the final age of 110 years, 39 days.

In December 2023, LongeviQuest concluded that the earlier validation was incorrect. Based on the research conducted by Wayne Morris, it was revealed that Sharp was actually born on 28 September 1861, and she passed away 12 days earlier than previously believed. These findings have confirmed that she was not a supercentenarian at the time of her passing and that the first documented supercentenarian in Australia is, in fact, Jane Piercy (1869–1981).

ATTRIBUTION

* “Still paints at 102” – The Canberra Times, 4 October 1963

* “Sharp, Ada Matilda” – The Age, May 1971

GALLERY