Events
A new Guinness book record has been recorded. Two sisters, Dorothy Richards and Marjorie Ruddle, were recognized as the oldest sisters alive. Dorothy is 108 years old and Marjorie is 105.
A celebration in honor of the record set by British sisters was held at the Peterborough nursing home, where Marjorie Riddle lives. Residents of the house, sisters' relatives, as well as representatives of the Book of Records were invited to a tea party.
A Guinness World Records spokesperson confirmed that Dorothy and Marjorie are “the oldest living siblings”. The total age of the sisters at the time of setting the record was 213 years, three months and 27 days.
Marjorie Ruddle was born on April 21, 1907. Dorothy Richards, who now lives in a nursing home in Stamford, was born on December 15, 1903, two days before the Wright brothers made the world's first successful flight.
Pat Comber, Marjorie Ruddle's daughter, who attended the record celebration, says her mother and aunt hadn't seen each other in three years. The sisters live in different nursing homes and due to their old age and various ailments, they are unable to visit each other.
Dorothy Richards and Marjorie Riddle were born and raised in Northampton, UK. The sisters then went to London and went to college. The sisters now live in different nursing homes.
Marjorie married James Robertson Wilson in 1932 in Northampton. The couple then moved to Peterborough. Marjorie gave birth to three children: two sons and one daughter. Five years after her husband's death, Marjorie remarried Allan Riddle. Pat Comber says her mom was actively interested in tennis, making bouquets, gardening and sewing.
Dorothy also got married and had three sons. She lived near Stamford all her life and ran a gift shop.
Until now, the Guinness Book has never listed the oldest siblings. Marjorie Ruddle's husband made a proposal to register a new record.
A spokesperson for the Book of Records said they would now track the record combined ages of sisters and brothers.
“We congratulate Marjorie and Dorothy. Welcome to the Guinness Book family,” said a representative of the famous Book of Records.