In this 1902 photograph stands Margaret Ann Neve, a woman who truly defied time. She was born in 1792, when George III still ruled Britain, and she died in 1903, well into the modern era of telegraphs, railways, and photography.
Neve was the first recorded woman—and only the second verified person ever—to reach the age of 110. Even more remarkable, she became the first documented human to live across three centuries: the 18th, 19th, and 20th.
Her long life was far from quiet or isolated. She traveled widely with her sister Elizabeth, who lived to be 98. Together, they explored Europe, and in 1872, they made their final journey together to Kraków, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Longevity seemed to run in their family: Margaret’s mother lived to 99.
When she died at 110 years and 321 days, Margaret Ann Neve left behind much more than an extraordinary age. She left a life rich with journeys, memories, and quiet proof that human life can reach far beyond most expectations—carrying with it stories and wisdom passed down through generations.