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George Ives

Validated By: On Date: Nov. 08th 2001

George Frederick Ives was a British-born Canadian supercentenarian who was the last surviving veteran of the Second Boer War (1899 - 1902). He was Canada's oldest man ever from 1992 until 1996, and the oldest living man in the country for nearly three years. His age has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO), and recognised by LongeviQuest (LQ).

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Biography

Ives was born in Brighton, East Sussex, England on 17 November 1881. He worked in his father’s workshop in Bristol until 1899, when he learned of Britain’s defeat at Colenso, South Africa, during the Second Boer War. He enlisted in the Imperial Yeomanry that year, and stayed in South Africa until the war’s end in 1902.

The following year, Ives emigrated to Canada with his father, and purchased 160 acres of land for 10 dollars. In 1910, he married Kay Nelson and fathered six children. His wife disliked life on the prairies, so the family moved to White Rock, British Columbia, in 1919, living in the same house for 65 years.

Ives ran a farm in White Rock until 1941, when he decided to change jobs, securing employment in a shipyard constructing wooden scows. His retirement took place in 1956, and he lived independently until 1984, when he moved into a retirement home in Aldergrove, British Columbia.

In November 1992, aged 111, Ives flew back to England to attend the Albert Hall ceremony for Remembrance Day and met several British dignitaries. He died in Aldergrove on 12 April 1993 at the age of 111 years, 146 days.

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Recognition

Ives is believed to have become the oldest living man in Canada following the death of 109-year-old Philo McCandless on 22 June 1990. Two years later, he broke Eli Lindsay’s record as the oldest man ever to reside in Canada.

Ives was the first known man in Canada’s history to reach the age of 111. Upon his death, Canada’s oldest living man became Chester Pushie, then aged 108. He was the oldest British-born veteran of any war until 2007, when Henry Allingham surpassed his age.

Ives’ age was verified by Robert Young and Bertrand Desjardins, and validated by the GRG on 8 November 2001. His age was later validated by the ESO on 29 July 2023.

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Attribution