Elsie May Steele was, at age 111 years, 285 days, the oldest person in the United Kingdom and the oldest person in England following the death of 111-year-old Annie Turnbull on 3 September 2010. Steele was born at Midway near Swadlincote as one of nine children born to Joseph and Bertha Fletcher. After leaving school at 13, she worked as a housekeeper in Leicester. She married her first husband Reginald Hackett in 1920, and had two children; Trevor Hackett, and Beryl Fairbrother. Steele later worked in a munitions factory in near Burton-upon-Trent. When she was 69 years old, she married her second husband Wallace Steele. At age 108 Steele remarked "I plan on staying around for a bit yet. Old age is golden and I intend to make the most of it. I?m in good shape. I love to walk, the staff are always wondering where I?ve got to". When asked her secret to a long life, she credited hard work, avoid beer, and to not swear. She also said that she tries to concentrate on the "happy times". On her 110th birthday, Steele recited a poem by Pam Ayres about the joys of old age. She had 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren. 

January 6th, 1899 in   /  Died:   Oct 18th, 2010 - aged 111 and 285 days