Kathleen Whitehead, one of Britain’s oldest identical twins, has died at the age of 105, three years after the passing of her sister, Dorothy Sivyer.
Whitehead died peacefully this month, following Sivyer’s death in July 2022. Born on August 28, 1920, the sisters – affectionately known as “the Twinnies” – held the title of Britain’s oldest identical twins.
The twins attributed their remarkable longevity to a balanced lifestyle, enjoying both treats like chocolate adn wine alongside healthy food and regular exercise, and also a strong network of female friends.
Both sisters were 19 years old when the Second World War began in 1939 and contributed to the war effort. whitehead served as a radar operator, while Sivyer worked as a radiographer, treating servicemen returning from the Normandy beaches.
Prior to the war, Whitehead had aspired to attend art college but followed her father’s guidance and took a position at an advertising company in London. She later pursued a career in teaching, working at Delce Junior School in Rochester and primary schools in Gillingham, Kent, until her retirement.
In retirement, Whitehead rekindled her passion for art, filling her home with oil paintings.
Sivyer, a widow, had three children, six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. After the war, she became a physics assistant and continued working for the health service until the age of 64.
The sisters shared a lifelong bond, living together in the childhood home built by their grandparents, and spent the Covid-19 lockdown together. They celebrated their 100th birthdays together in 2020,remarking on their harmonious relationship.
“We haven’t come to blows or anything. I don’t mind turning 100. Nobody has got this old in our family before,” Sivyer said at the time.
She added, “Our teenage years were our favorite time. You’re free to do what you want and go where you want. We’ve always got on very well. We’ve never quarrelled.”
Whitehead, who never married despite being engaged once, had lived in the same house since the age of 12.
Reflecting on their long lives, Whitehead shared, ”We do have naughty food but we also eat very healthily as well. we’ve never smoked but we do have the occasional glass of wine.”
