Elsie Steele

Who was Elsie Steele?

Elsie May Steele was, at age 111 years, 285 days, the oldest person in the United Kingdom and the oldest person in England following the death of 111-year-old Annie Turnbull on 3 September 2010.

Steele was born at Midway near Swadlincote as one of nine children born to Joseph and Bertha Fletcher. After leaving school at 13, she worked as a housekeeper in Leicester. She married her first husband Reginald Hackett in 1920, and had two children; Trevor Hackett, and Beryl Fairbrother. Steele later worked in a munitions factory in near Burton-upon-Trent. When she was 69 years old, she married her second husband Wallace Steele.

At age 108 Steele remarked "I plan on staying around for a bit yet. Old age is golden and I intend to make the most of it. I’m in good shape. I love to walk, the staff are always wondering where I’ve got to". When asked her secret to a long life, she credited hard work, avoid beer, and to not swear. She also said that she tries to concentrate on the "happy times".

On her 110th birthday, Steele recited a poem by Pam Ayres about the joys of old age.

She had 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren.