Florence Sedcole

Florence Gertrude Sedcole (née Martin; 5 January 1879 – 26 January 1986) was a New Zealander centenarian who, at the time of her death, was the oldest living person in New Zealand and one of the oldest New Zealanders of all time.

Biography
Sedcole was born as Florence Gertrude Martin in New Zealand on 5 January 1879 as the 10th of 13 children born to Albert Martin and Mary Ann Crapper. One of her sisters, Gwendoline, lived to be almost 95. She married Francis Charles Sedcole in 1906 and in 1908, they had a daughter, Brenda (married McLeod), who died in 2000 aged 91 or 92.

Sedcole was widowed in 1937 after a 31-year marriage. Her parents had died in 1928 and 1933 aged 89 and 92 respectively. She became the oldest known person in New Zealand on 29 December 1984, a week before her 106th birthday, following the death of supercentenarian claimant Parewahawaha Ranginui Leonard.

Sedcole died in Auckland, New Zealand, on 26 January 1986 at the age of 107 years, 21 days. Her successor as the oldest known person in New Zealand was Mary Bromley (1880–1987).