Oldest and Fastest Persons – From Where?

Have you heard of Mrs Violet Brown of Trelawny, Jamaica? Born on 10 March 1900 and affectionately known as Aunt V, she is now the oldest living person in the world whose age has been documented. So Trelawny Jamaica boasts of being birthplace of not only the oldest living person in the world at 117 years young but also the fastest man on the planet. Yes, Usain Bolt was born in Trelawny a few miles from Violet’s birthplace.

Aunt V still lives in the same house where she was born and which has been in her family for 200 years. Her son Harold Fairweather, died last Wednesday 19 April 2017 a few days after his 97 birthday at their home in Duanvale, Trelawny. Prior to his death, Harold held the record for being the oldest person with a living parent.

Harold’s 97th birthday coincided with the day his mother Violet became the world’s oldest living person following the death of previous world’s oldest, Emma Morano of Italy.

Aunt V is the first ever verified supercentenarian from Jamaica and the oldest verified Jamaican person EVER. She was born when Jamaica was a part of the British Empire, making her the last living former subject of Queen Victoria who died in January 1901.

Queen Elizabeth II sent her a congratulatory letter for her 115 birthday.

Aunt V attributes her longevity to her faith in God and living life as a devout member of her local Methodist Church. Undoubtedly genetics may have something to do with it too as her parents both lived to 96 years of age.

Aunt V worked as a plantation worker cutting cane for her masters and also as a maid in their homes. Eventually she was able to buy property to grow her own sugarcane and would walk two days from Duanvale to the town where she could sell it. She would carry the cane on the back of a donkey or on her head.

Aunt V, the entrepreneur, also opened the only bread shop in town, was a music teacher and seamstress. She clearly remembers seeing her first plane and car. Aunt V enjoys her Bible, but isn’t above appreciating the poetry of the rakish Lord Byron and can recite The Vision of Belshazzar from memory.

Aunt V was married to cemetery keeper Augustus Gaynor Brown until his death. They had six children. She is a great-great-grandmother and has descendants in Jamaica, the United States of America, Europe and Africa.

Aunt V likes to eat fish, mutton and the occasional cow foot. She also likes sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, breadfruit, and fruits, especially mangoes and oranges. But which Jamaican does not like mangoes and oranges? She does not eat pork. Unlike her fellow parishioner Usain Bolt who loves chicken nuggets, Aunt V does not eat chicken. ‘

Congratulations Aunt V on your amazing achievement from Hope Kidd of Jamaican Products, Australia.