OLDEST TWINS IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 50, 22 November 1930, Page 29

OLDEST TWINS IN BRITAIN

Pleasantries at 87 or 88

“I be 88,” said Mr. Frank Mills recently. “No, 87,” said Mrs. Mills. “I think I be 88,” said Mr. Mills stubbornly. “Well,” said his sweet little wife, soothingly, “Robert has the certificate. He’ll be able to say for sure.” Robert and Frank Mills are claimed to be the oldest living twins in England. Certainly there are none more delightful. Frank lives at Hastlngleigh. Robert lives at Sellindge, both tiny villages out in the Kentish hills. “Sellindge be seven miles away,” said Frank, “so we don’t see each other often.” When they do they are as happy together as boys. Both are animated by two passions'—work and horses. Robert, in addition, has the gift of a sublime deafness, which is one of the joys of his happy life. He talks heartily and hears nothing, except when he wants to. Robert scarcely ever has his pipe out of his mouth. Frank has never touched tobacco. “Smoking leads to the drinking,” he warned an interviewer solemnly.

At 87 (or 88) each twin is still trying to convert the other. This is what happens when they meet: “Ye’re not looking so grand,” says the hearty Robert. “Ye should take a pipe o’ baccy now and then. It’d do ye good.” “No, no,” says Frank. “If you was to stop smoking, ye wouldn’t be so lean as ye are. Ye’ll die if ye go on wi’ it.”

“Ay, but the cherries isn’t doing so well,” replies Robert, whereupon the whole family has a good laugh, in. which Robert joins, and somebody tactfully brings out the dominoes. Mrs. Arrowsmith, of Congleton, and Mrs. Hammond, of Tunstall, who were born on January 18, 1843, are 87, and thus are about the same age as Frank and Robert Mills. ; Mrs. Ellen Street and her sister, Miss Catherine Carter, of Slough, recently claimed to be among the oldest living twins in England. They were born in London, on July 3, 1849, so that they are 81 years old. Mrs. Street was born at four in the morning and her sister an hour later.