I can proudly say that last year I broke the record for the oldest person in the world to ride a rollercoaster. It was very exciting. I’m 106, but feel younger. Even the doctor agrees I’m in good shape. I’m a bit deaf and my legs are a little weak, but they’re the only issues.
I rode the Twistosaurus at Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire, which spins you round quite fast. I didn’t choose to go on that – it was a bit too gentle. I’d have preferred a really fast one that went upside down. But I was told I couldn’t ride something like that, because my blood pressure could drop and I might have passed out.
I wasn’t nervous – I don’t get frightened of anything. I was securely fastened in, so I knew I wouldn’t fall out. I’d also had a glass of Famous Grouse whisky to give me courage. I have some every morning in my tea and another shot every night with lemonade.
The rollercoaster ride went on for three or four minutes, and I enjoyed every second. And I raised a lot of money for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance fund, which was fantastic. I was so happy afterwards. People were saying I’d got a place in the Guinness World Records and I hoped they were right, but you don’t know until it’s done. Later, someone came to present me with the certificate, which is nice. I have it on the wall in my living room, with another one that I got a year earlier for being the oldest person in the world to get their first tattoo. In 2016, I had one put on my right shoulder. It says “Jacko 6.4.1912” in my handwriting, because that’s what everyone calls me. It didn’t take long and I’ve been in more pain having a haircut. My daughter and grandson got the same one at the same time – and the tattoo artist even did the same one on his own leg.
My record-breaking began with the ice-bucket challenge. My great-granddaughter nominated me to have a bucket of freezing water poured on my head. I was 102 then, but thought, “Why not?” After that, I started to think about what else I could do to raise money and awareness for different charities.
My family say I’m crazy, and I agree. But they always go along with me. All my life I’ve liked a challenge, and I like knowing I’ve beaten it. I do get people suggesting I should be careful and take it easy, but I’m not taking any notice.
I’ve been a daredevil from birth. My mother went into labour and had me before the midwife even arrived. When she did get there, the midwife was astounded because I was so big. She borrowed the scales from an adjoining shop and I weighed 14 pounds. That was an achievement – for me or my mother, I’m not sure.
I was married, for a very long time, to the best wife in the world and she died very suddenly of a stroke when she was 68. That’s the biggest regret – that I haven’t been able to spend this extra time with her. I have four children, eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. I’ve also just had the nice surprise of a great-great-granddaughter. I could not have a better family, and that keeps me going.
If someone broke my world record as the oldest person to ride a rollercoaster, I’d say, “Good luck to you.” But the real achievement is not what I’ve done; it’s how long I’ve lived. I’ve always worked very hard – outdoors for most of my life as a railway platelayer – and I think that’s made me endure as long as I have. I’m taking it easy now, so I find challenges to spice things up. I tried abseiling recently, as part of a family fun day. I loved it. I was suspended on a rope from a crane about 25 feet high and lowered myself down. I did it about three times.
I’m not sureif anyone is jealous of all the fun I’m having. They just say I’m daft and that’s about it. On reflection, I’ve had many good days, and many exciting times. I’ve had a really good life. I don’t think I’ve wasted any of it.
