Woman Spent Her Entire Life Living In Just One House For Over A Century

Jul 24, 2023

Having a roof under your and your family's head is important as a home is the number one place to feel safe not just from other people around but also from natural calamities and disasters. 

One woman from Nottinghamshire, England, is different from other people as she managed to live in the same house for more than a century.

According to the Nottingham Post, Elsie Allock, who was 105 years old in 2023, had lived in a two-bedroom house on Barker Street in Huthwaite since 1918, around the same time when World War I ended.

In a news report by GBNews, the sweet old lady appeared to have spent almost every minute of her life in the same home as she was also born there.

Her father was the first one who lived in the house years before she was born, but he never owned it as he and his family were just renting.

When he died, Elsie and her husband purchased the property. At the time, it was worth around £250 (approximately $323.62), but they couldn't afford it, so they sought help from the local council, which gave them a payment option that lasted for ten years.

If the cost was converted in 2022, it would be worth £5000 (around $6,472.50), but if she sold it around the modern time, it is estimated to be worth £80,000 ($103,560.00).

In 2023, Elsie was still alive and kicking and was accompanied by her son Raymond.

She made countless memories in the same household, as she already had two children, six grandchildren, and over 30 great-grandchildren.

Regarding her work, Elsie never had a formal job, but she did cleaning jobs for nearby residents around her area. Unfortunately, her husband, Mark, passed away at the age of 78.

Even after she lost the love of her life, the woman remained happy and even shared her advice about living a long life.

"The secret to a long life is not sitting idle," she told Nottingham Post. One of her favorite activities was playing dominoes, and she even won competitions. She also loved doing jigsaw puzzles with Raymond as well as gardening.

Throughout her life, she witnessed a lot of things which included seeing Queen Mary, the Queen Mother, as a child.

"She never worked, her mother died when she was 14 and she stayed at home to look after her father who was in his 70s and she cleaned houses for pocket money. She's got bad feet and a bad shoulder and ears but apart from that she's perfect," the son said of his mother.

Despite her age, Mary continued to become active as Raymond said, "She's very independent… Until last year she was knitting all the time but she's got arthritis in her hands."

She even celebrated her 105th birthday in June 2023, together with 50 guests.

Since Elsie witnessed everything around her area for the past century, there were some establishments that she missed, like the communal gardens at the end of Barker Street, which was converted into a car park.

There were also big changes because when Elsie was growing up, there were over 30 shops and 11 pubs around the street, but in 2023, there were only two of each left.

Regardless of her age, her family makes sure she's always treated "like a queen."

What do you think of the sweet old lady's story? Would you live in the same house for decades or even a century? Let us know your thoughts, and make sure to pass this on to your friends and family.