Wishing you long life, health and happiness - a celebration of longevity

A few days ago, ex-US president Jimmy Carter passed away, having only recently celebrated his 100th birthday on 1st October, and it got me thinking...

It reminded me that after again watching the marvellous 1971 film The French Connection I looked for for more info and discovered that Gene Hackman is still alive and kicking – he'll be 95 next month! 

As I looked at Hackman’s body of work, I noticed that Warren Beatty and Faye Dunnaway his co-stars in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde are also still with us, currently 87 and 83 respectively. 

Impressed and delighted, I started compiling a list of elderly famous faces, not just actors, adding to to the list as and when someone popped into my head. 

The list got longer and longer and I didn't really know what to do with it until now because Jimmy’s passing has reminded me that at the end of the year we often look back at the people we’ve lost in the last 12 months and I thought it would be nice, a good idea, to celebrate the people who are still with us. 

Some tenuous London links to Jimmy Carter:
A ghostsign in Walworth Rd, scraffito in Carter Lane EC4, a cafe in Homerton (also RIP), Carters' Steam Fair (shown during its last travelling show in July 2022) and mosaic threshold in Maida Hill (more here)

To keep the of list short, I am here showing only those people are at least 90 years old at the time of writing (31 Dec 2024). This means that Warren and Faye haven't made the cut. I'm sure there are many other any other Jazz Age babies who haven't as yet popped into my head – please let me know if you can add to the list. Titles and awards excluded (Sir, Dame, OBE, etc).

Eva Marie Saint, 4 July 1924 

June Lockhart, 25 June 1925

Dick Van Dyke, 13 Dec 1925

David Attenborough, 8 May 1926

Desmond Morris, 24 Jan 1928

Mel Brooks, 28 June 1926

Estelle Parsons, 20 Nov 1927

Noam Chomsky, 7 Dec 1928

Frank Gehry, 29 Feb 1929 

Joan Plowright, 29 Oct 1929

Tippi Hedren, 19 Jan 1930

Buzz Aldrin, 20 Jan 1930

Gene Hackman, 30 Jan 1930 

Robert Wagner, 10 Feb 1930

Joanne Woodward, 27 Feb 1930 

Douglas Hurd, 8 March 1930 

Jasper Johns, 15 May 1930  

Clint Eastwood, 31 May 1930

Bernie Ecclestone, 28 Oct 1930 

Robert Duvall, 5 Jan 1931 

Norman Tebbit, 21 March 1931

Barbara Eden, 23 Aug, 1931

Rita Moreno, 11 Dec 1931

Gerhard Richter, 9 Feb 1932 

Prunella Scales, 22 June 1932

Phylidda Law, 6 July 1932

Ellen Burstyn, 7 Sep 1932

Petula Clark, 15 Nov 1932 

Katharine, Duchess of Kent, 22 Feb 1933 

Frankie Valli, 3 May 1934

Kim Novak, 13 Feb 1933

Sheila Hancock, 22 Feb 1933 

Michael Caine, 14 March 1933

Michael Heseltine, 23 March 1933 

Joan Bakewell, 16 April 1933

Willie Nelson, 29 April 1933 

Joan Collins, 23 May 1933

Roman Polanski, 18 Aug 1933

Tom Skerritt, 25 Aug 1933

Tom Baker, 20 Jan 1934 

Richard Chamberlain, 31 March 1934

Shirley Jones, 31 March 1934 

Jane Goodall, 3 April 1934 

Shirley MacLaine, 24 April 1934

Frankie Valli, 3 May 1934 

Alan Bennet, 9 May 1934

Nanette Newman, 29 May 1934

Eileen Atkins, 16 June 1934

Jamie Farr, 1 July 1934

Jean Marsh, 1 July 1934

Sofia Loren, 20 Sep 1934

Brigitte Bardot, 28 Sep 1934

Judi Dench, 9 Dec 1934 

You'll also find a short version of this on Substack 

George Carter & Sons of Maida Hill – glovers, hosiers and shirtmakers

A few months ago, within a post about bygone company names that display '& Sons' I included a business by the name of Carter, based in Old Kent Road, with many more shops across London.

Well, this afternoon I had one of those 'ping' moments when I recalled that earlier this year after a wander in the Kensal Green area, I was ambling eastwards along Harrow Road when I stumbled across a shop that still sports some of its original Victorian shop fittings including a beautiful threshold mosaic, here at number 371.

Not only does it have the marvellous mosaic, but it also retains the fine wooden spindle window frames above granite and metal on which the words GLOVERS, HOSIERS & SHIRTMAKERS are still perfectly visible. It's an absolute treat and an amazing example of the Art Nouveau shopping era that also included curved windows, polished brass and aproned staff.  

There is a mirrored wall to the left side as you enter from the street, designed to make the shop look bigger and bounce more light into the the shop (this being north-facing), and there are additional mirrors in the ceiling above this area. This next pair of pics shows the effect looking down and looking up: 

I have my fingers crossed that this old Carter & Sons shop is a listed/protected property. It's unusual, to say the least, especially with so many elements intact at one location. Retrospective Google streetview shows that it was hidden behind boards in the period 2008-2012 before it reappeared as we see it today. I am interested to find out from anyone who lives in the area if they have any info about the shop pre-2008.

I have found other similar examples across London, but mostly on shops that originally sold jewellery or funeral services. And not all of those shops have survived; sadly modernised with plate glass within UPVC frames. 

The description of 'Shirtmaker' can also be found on some outlets in the covered arcades either side of Piccadilly, as well as on the low curved corner of 67 Moorgate in the City of London, here. 

Carters biggest shop was at 211-217 Old Kent Road, but there's nothing left of it today, since demolished and rebuilt, today containing a British Heart Foundation charity shop at street level. 

But here's a nice pic of the shop when it was still trading that I found in a library book but forgot to make a note of the book title (whoops):

Update June 2025: At the excellent Peter Mitchell exhibition at The Photographers' Gallery I found a photo he had taken of the shop in 1979. The caption was also written by him at that time: