World's oldest Facebooker
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Ivy Bean is a great-grandmother with a difference.She is the world's oldest Facebooker aged 102.At 102 years old she has joined the social networking revolution and become the oldest person on Facebook.
The former mill worker, who was born in Bradford in 1905, showed an interest in the website, after hearing care workers at her home talk about the phenomenon.
Although Mrs Bean currently only has nine Facebook friends, she said she 'loves being online' and is hoping for many more.
Her carers have set up a group called 'Oldest person on Facebook' and regularly post news, photos and videos about their most famous resident.
The most recent video shows the sprightly centenarian competing in Bradford's Over-75 Olympics.Despite being 27 years older than the entry age she clinched gold in the frisbee throwing event yesterday.
The world has changed radically during Ivy's lifetime. When she was born Henry Campbell-Bannerman was Prime Minister of Britain - the first to ever officially hold the title.At that time telegrams were the fastest way of communicating and a national telephone network was still seven years away. Ivy would have to wait 46 years until the first computer was invented.
Ivy is pictured with her husband Harold who fought in WW2 and with daughter Sandra in the 1950s
One of eight children, Ivy Asquith worked in a mill from the age of 14 and then married Harold Bean, a soldier in the Royal Army Service Corps. After the Second World War they worked in service for the Lord and Lady Guiness at Greens Norton Hall in Northampton.
Ivy retired at 73, a few years after her husband passed away, aged 75. She is living at Hillside Manor care home in Bradford which she moved to at the grand age of 101 after her last care home closed down.
Ivy's Facebook group now has more than 200 members
Care home manager Pat Wright said: 'We try to keep all our residents independent by letting them use the computer.'
Ivy is five years older than the 97-year-old French man who was believed to be the previously oldest person on Facebook.Ivy has a daughter Sandra, 60, two grandsons and three great-grandchildren who regularly visit her there.
Asked about her hopes for the future she said: 'I am looking forward to receiving my next telegram from the queen in two years time.'
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