Ben, 108, is the capital’s oldest man

LONDON’S OLDEST man, Nightingale House resident Ben Raymond, celebrated his 108th birthday on Tuesday with a party at the Clapham home.

Bermondsey-born Mr Raymond moved into Nightingale with his late wife Millie in 2012, when both were over 100.

They met through their love of dancing and married in 1937. Their only child, Victor, was born five years later. Mr Raymond said that his 80 years with Millie (76 married) were the best of his life.

Through family connections, Mr Raymond trained as a hairdresser and opened a salon in Marble Arch. Customers included aristocracy and actor Charlton Heston, whose hair he cut before the filming of Ben Hur, and who gave him a £10 tip.

“Another day, I was called to the Marylebone Clinic to see what I could do after the Crown Prince of Arabia’s hair had turned white. I dyed his hair black at his bedside, surrounded by his concubines.”

When the family moved to Wallington to be near their son’s grammar school, “I opened another salon and became a member of Croydon Synagogue. We then sold the salon and moved to Sutton, where we became members of Sutton and District Synagogue and would often go to the friendship club.” His son died in late 2012, a month before Millie.

He has always kept a kosher home and is a regular at the Nightingale synagogue. He attributes his longevity to “a positive outlook on life” and, possibly, an occasional tot of whisky, although he now forgoes that.

“Moving to Nightingale has meant security,” he told the JC. “The carers look after me very well. They even give me a peck on the cheek before bedtime.”