Annie Jennings (née Thomas) was a British supercentenarian who was the oldest living person in Europe and the second-oldest living person in the world at the time of her death, after Sarah Knauss of the United States. At the age of 115 years, 8 days, Jennings remains the second-oldest person ever from the UK. She was also the world's last surviving person born in 1884 whose age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Jennings was born on 12 November 1884 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, and lived there all her life. She worked as a teacher and did not have any children. She reportedly disliked being in the Guinness Book of World Records. Jennings died on 20 November 1999, eight days after her 115th birthday.
British Records
Jennings became the last surviving British person born in 1884 following the death of 111 year-old Helen Haward on 23 October 1996. She subsequently became the oldest living person in the UK, as well as the last surviving British person born before 1885, following the death of 114 year-old Lucy Askew on 9 December 1997. Following her death on 20 November 1999, Eva Morris became the UK’s oldest living person.
At the time of her death, Jennings was the second-oldest person ever from the UK (after Charlotte Hughes who lived to 115 years, 228 days), and she remains so as of 2020.
International Records
Following the death of fellow Brit Lucy Askew on 9 December 1997, Jennings became the oldest living person in Europe. However, she did not become the oldest living European-born person until the death of 113 year-old Italian-born American Amalia Barone on 26 June 1998. After Jennings’ death, another fellow Brit, Eva Morris became the oldest living person in Europe.
At the time of her death, Jennings was the second-oldest living person in the world after 119 year-old Sarah Knauss, who outlived her by 40 days.
