James Easton, 106, is believed to be the first Kiwi to receive a birthday card from two different monarchs. Photo / Ryman Healthcare
James Easton, 106, is believed to be the first Kiwi to receive a birthday card from two different monarchs. Photo / Ryman Healthcare
Kiwi man James Easton hit the grand old age of 106 last week and got a special surprise in the post: a card from the newly minted King Charles III.
The St Heliers Grace Joel Retirement Village resident is believed to be the first New Zealander to receive a birthday card from two monarchs: one from the King this year, and one from Queen Elizabeth II for his 100th.
“I feel very surprised to reach 106, I think I have been very lucky,” he said.
During World War II, Easton was a prisoner of war, surviving three and a half years of starvation, sickness and beatings at the hands of the Japanese.
When he was released from the prison camp, medics told him the years of ill-treatment would likely knock at least 10 years off his life.
Many of Easton’s friends suffered terrible nightmares, but he managed to develop a clever technique to prevent them.
“Whenever I felt one coming on I’d dream of nude women. That took it away immediately,” he said.
After returning to New Zealand, Easton had an idea to “go into showbusiness” - joining the touring fairgrounds that would travel around the country, which started a 65-year career. He retired in his early 90s.
Easton said his card from King Charles was better than the Queen’s.
He accidentally ripped up his card from the Queen with a bunch of paperwork when he was downsizing and his friend only managed to salvage the envelope.
The two envelopes that the birthday cards were delivered in. Photo / Ryman Healthcare
Easton said his tips for longevity included never smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol.
“When I was 12 years old I would walk past the pub at 3pm and see all the miners walking in, and half an hour later I would walk back past and they would be out the front beating the daylights out of each other.
“As a child, I always said, ‘When I grow up I’m not going into those places’, and I never have,” Easton said.
Despite leaving school at 14 years old, Easton kept his mind occupied by teaching himself to read and finishing at least two books every week.
Having outlived his wife Maureen and only daughter Vicky, his daughter’s friend Lyn Hastie and colleagues from his showground days are his family now and turn up every year to celebrate his birthday.
Hastie, who has known Easton since she was 18, turned 73 this year.
Perminder Sachdev, a world-leading neuropsychiatry researcher, teacher and clinician, said Easton’s longevity was an exceptional circumstance after receiving little education and becoming a prisoner of war.
Sachdev has dedicated his career to understanding the causes of psychiatric disorders such as dementia.
He said the overall lifespan of individuals had increased from 35-40 years in the 20th century to 80 years in the 21st.
“People now have better lifestyles, better healthcare, and better nutrition compared to last century and there are many diseases that were killers which we have managed to treat since then.
World-leading neuropsychiatrist Perminder Sachdev, left, with 106-year-old James Easton. Photo / Ryman Healthcare
“Retirement is another factor. People often go downhill after they retire because they stop being so mentally active, their social engagement declines and they also stop doing physical exercise,” he said.
Sachdev was awarded this year’s Ryman Prize for his unique contribution to the understanding of ageing, Ryman Prize director David King said.
The Ryman Prize is an annual $250,000 award for the world’s best discovery, development, advance or achievement that enhances the quality of life for older people.
Sachdev said that after interviewing different centenarians around the world, each one had a different answer to their secret to a long life.
“There are definitely certain commonalities that come out and one of those is a genetic component because you see longevity in families,” Sachdev said.
Easton, still full of life, said if he could go back to any age, it would be 10 years old so that he could live his life all over again.
“I have had a good life and think that everyone should keep going as long as they can.
“I reckon if I hadn’t gone to war and stayed at home, I would reach 200,” Easton said with a grin.
