A woman in 1916 England gave birth to two little girls, Phyllis and Irene, 25 minutes apart. Phyllis is the older twin. It was the middle of World War I, when women couldn't yet vote — it was an all-around very different time!
But don't take our word for it — you can ask Irene and Phyllis yourself if you happen to be in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, because the twins celebrated their 100th birthday on November 20.
The twins now go by Irene Crump and Phyllis Jones, and they live together. They celebrated their birthday with some 48 friends and family members.
The twins have spent their whole lives being very close, which isn't surprising for twins. They attended the same school as children and worked their first job together as young women. Naturally, they often spend their shared birthday together.
Everyone knows that twins have a special bond and are often considered little miracles in their own rights, but Irene and Phyllis now have another special badge: hitting 100!
When asked their secret to such a long, healthy life, their answer was simple, and one that anyone can get behind. Read on below for their wise words!
[H/T: Daily Mail, BoredPanda]
Phyllis Jones and Irene Crump are twin sisters. On November 20, they celebrated their 100th birthday together surrounded by 48 friends and family members.
Naturally, there was a lot of food, and they even got their own cakes. After all, if you make it to 100, you deserve your own cake!
The twins were born on November 20, 1916. They aren't identical, but like most siblings, they do resemble one another.
Twins run in their family, it seems. Their older sister, Dorothy, was also a twin, though sadly, her sibling passed away during childbirth.
Growing up, Phyllis and Irene went to the same school and have always been close — they even have each other's first names as middle names!
They also grew up to have complementary personalities. According to Phyllis' son, Carl, Irene is the careful, methodical one, while Phyllis "always races around doing things."
They got their first jobs together at a porcelain company.
Both Irene and Phyllis married. Irene's husband, Samuel, passed away in 1999, and Phyllis' husband, Ray, passed away in 2006. Both men were in their 90s.
Irene never had children, and Phyllis only had Carl, who helps care for them both.
Today, Irene and Phyllis live together. Phyllis has vascular dementia, but still takes a walk around the block every day.
They've been living together for five years, but throughout their lives, have never lived more than a few miles apart.
Prior to moving in together, they also spent their 90th and 99th birthdays together.
For their big birthday this year, they didn't want presents. They instead asked for donations to be made to the air ambulance, and managed to raise a good amount.
"We haven't got all the money in yet, but we think we've done pretty well. It's a cause close to our hearts," Irene said.
They also became one of only six sets of centenarian twins in the U.K., and even got special cards from the Queen herself.
Each card has a different message, because everyone knows that twins get sick of matching gifts early on.
They're also older than Queen Elizabeth II. She's "only" 90.
Being 100 hasn't slowed them down significantly, either, and both twins have the support of Phyllis' son and his wife, Patricia, who check on them at least once a day.
"They live independently and they're doing great," Carl said. "And if there's an emergency, they'll ring me."
And their secret to a long life?
"Hard work and good food is our secret," Irene says. "That's all I can put it down to."
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