A Resident at HC-One’s Roseberry Court Care Home in Redcar was once famous for being in the oldest family on the planet in 2014.
May Clarkson’s parents, William and Elizabeth Brudenell were married in the 1920s and went on to have 11 children, Robert, John, Jean, Marion, James, Vincent, May, Mary, Winifred, William and Bernadette.
William worked as a steelworker, whilst Elizabeth worked from 5am until midnight every day to feed and clothe her family, washing their clothes by hand, as she didn’t have a washing machine.
The family grew vegetables for food and slept four to a bed in a small terraced house in Middlesbrough, but May remembers that they never fought with each other and that their parents were very strict with the children.
The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed that The Brudenell family were the oldest living family in the world in 2014 and urged them to apply for the title, the family were thrilled with the news.
They have all remained close and all live in Middlesbrough and nearby Redcar. May reminisces:
“We were always popping into each other’s houses all the time and went to loads of christenings and weddings, I feel like I’ve been to millions.
Yes I felt famous, but you just have to get on with life as normal!”
Roseberry Court’s Home Manager, Alison Corner commented:
“It is a great privilege to have May and her family be a part of the Roseberry Court family, we are over the moon that she was able to recall this memory and lots of others from her childhood.”