THE OLDEST LONDONER.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 122, 22 May 1920, Page 19

THE OLDEST LONDONER.

" GRANNY " LAMBERT (DIES AT 106. fFrom Our Special Correspondent.) LONTJON, March 24. An old woman who achieved fame very late in life has just died at Edmunton, a suhurb of London, at the age of io_. She celebrated her birthday some three months ago, and for several years past has been congratulated every January as "the Oldest Londoner"—a title, howerer, -which has -ecu disputed by several women and at least two men. Mrs. Johanna Lambert was born before guns thundered at Waterloo, and she lived to hear them thunder as they drove air-raiders from London a century later. She grew to maidenhood and womanhood, and through middle age to old age, with the fame that was to be hers one day still a secret of the future. But the fame did come at last, and for some years she was tie most photographed and interviewed old woman in Great Britain.

Mrs. Lambert was born on a frigate, and since she was 1- had lived at Bdmunton. Her husband died 30 years ago, and she outlived most of her chldlren. One of her daughters died not long ago at the age of 74.

Every year she gave a Christmas party, and last year entertained four generations of her family, including a great-great-grand-child of 10 months-. Five generations of her family lived in her house.

During the air-raids 'Mrs. Lambert took things very philosophically, _nt always made a practice of going Into a corner of the room until the "all-clear" was.sounded. She had no special long-life rales, unless the regular consumption of three glasses of stout per day can (be regarded as such, bnt latterly she had to forego such luxuries on account of the cost. Up to her 100 th birthday "Granny" Lambert is said to have made It a rule to "do her own bit of washing," but then met with an accident which rendered her Incapable of doing her hit at the washtu-. She was, however, a wonderful old lady, and retained her faculties in a marvellous degree until the closing hours of her life.