Remarkable twins celebrate century of memories

Matilda Hanlon and Beryl Baguley share a simple secret for a very long life.

The identical twin sisters, who were three-years-old when the ocean liner Titanic sank and just six when hundreds of young New Zealanders were killed at Gallipoli in 1915, turn 100 on Thursday, should know.

"Everything in life is about keeping things simple," said Mrs Hanlon nee Wilson.

"I have always eaten simply, lived simply and have never wanted for much...I have always just used soap and water on my face and no fancy products too," she said.

Neither of the twins have ever been seriously ill nor have they had to undergo any type of surgery.

They are both active in their gardens, live comfortably at home alone and catch taxis into town where they pay their bills or do their grocery shopping.

"I think it could be in the genes," said Mrs Baguley, whose five brothers and sisters all lived beyond 80.

"But a simple life is a good one and what we don't go to we don't miss."

Mrs Baguley, the older sister by 45 minutes, was looking forward to having a "bit of a do" with friends at the Waiuku Cosmopolitan Club.

Mrs Hanlon was also looking forward to meeting up with friends and family later next week but she like her sister will probably pass on a celebratory glass of champagne to mark their century.

"I've had the odd shandy to be sociable but that's it, I've never been drunk, I'd probably get in trouble if I did," said Mrs Hanlon.

"Oh and I have never smoked cigarettes, they're just awful, aren't they ?"

When asked to offer advice about the current recession having lived through a global depression in the 1930s, Mrs Hanlon said it was "easy".

"Don't get a credit card, I've never had one and I don't think people need them," said Mrs Hanlon, who has lived in her three-bedroomed Papatoetoe home since 1947.

"My husband bought some carpet for our home on a time-payment basis many years ago but we found it very hard to pay it off so I swore we would never get anything on credit again."

Mrs Baguley thought the National Government's nine-day working fortnight wasn't a bad idea.

Her own recollections of the depression included watching the government cut her pay by 50 per cent to a little over two pounds each week when she worked at a clothing factory on Karangahape Road.

"Still, we got by with what we had, everyone did in those days, they just got on with it," said Mrs Baguley.

"We used to bake all day on Saturday, everyone had to do those things back then...it wasn't that hard so I don't know why people are complaining these days."

Despite both women having outlived their husbands and some of their children, neither have any regrets.

"I"ve never been on an airplane, not once in my life and I don't think Tilly has either," said Mrs Baguley, who has also never visited the South Island.

"But that doesn't worry me, I've always been a stand on your feet kind of person."

In their lifetime:

1909: Beryl and Matilda Wilson born

1912: Titanic Sinks

1915: Gallipoli

1918: End of World War 1

1939-45: World War 2

1953: Ed Hillary conquers Everest

1963: John F Kennedy assassinated

1969: Neil Armstrong walks on the moon

1987: All Blacks win World Cup

1997: Princess Di killed in car accident

2009: Beryl and Matilda turn 100