PROFILE

Never Too Old

Eric Giles is proud to be one of DB’s – and Hong Kong’s – newest oldest permanent residents. Elizabeth Kerr reports

Eric Giles is living proof that you’re never too old to start a new chapter in life. Teetering on the cusp of 100 (his centenary comes in August) and smartly dressed like any gentleman should be, Discovery Bay’s most mature new permanent resident relaxes in his favourite chair in the flat he shares with his daughter Denise, and cats Bluebell, Marmite and Snowflake. He faces the water, slightly bemused by all the commotion. Age is just a number, after all, and he has a sister who’s already 101.

Nonetheless there’s a mischievous, good-natured gleam in Eric’s eye when he considers answers to the various queries fired at him. He lets two of three domestic aides – equally good-natured Raisel, Melita and Ruena – fuss over him, as he consults quietly with friend and neighbour Susan Ho. Her father lives downstairs and is a regular hang for Eric (sadly he’s been stuck in Australia for most of the COVID-19 lockdowns).

When I mention he’s the first person I’ve ever met that had reached 99, Eric throws down an epic side-eye. “Wow. I’m sorry. If I’m the first person you’ve met, your next choices are not going to be terribly impressive.”

A life well-led

Born in Aldershot, about 50 kilometres south of London, in 1921, Eric spent some of his twenties in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. “I started out stationed in England, but then the Japanese were starting to cause a bit of trouble, so I was transferred to Asia,” he understates. He spent time in Burma (now Myanmar) and then India, but didn’t actually get to see Hong Kong back then.

When Eric got back to Aldershot, he took the civil service exams and kicked off a career in government bureaucracy. Which one? He starts chuckling again, almost sheepish, as if bracing for blowback. “I was in customs and excise. Enough said,” he says with a knowing laugh. Who likes the taxman? But Eric has fun with the image; he can banter with the best, and the job served him well. “I opted for that because it was more of a mixed type of employment to choose from,” he says. “I actually liked it.”

Before long he met fellow Aldershot denizen Mavis, who would go on to become his wife of nearly 65 years. Both played tennis, and wound up as a fairly successful mixeddoubles team. “We won various cups. We weren’t professionals but we weren’t bad,” he recalls. Eventually the couple got married and moved to Woking, just outside London, where they settled, built a home and had their only daughter.

It was Denise’s career in medicine that helped Giles and Mavis see the world. They visited her for extended holidays, including in Swaziland

Eric has been living in DB with his daughter Denise since 2013

(now Eswatini), where she worked for 11 years. “Mavis enjoyed it so much I was often on my own,” he says. “That was very nice too, and I don’t know if we wouldn’t have retired there if Denise was still there. I wouldn’t have minded, but that was way before she moved here. She’s been here 30 years.”

Golden years in DB

The Giles’ first visit to Hong Kong was in 1981, on another extended holiday, with regular vacations after that in order to be doting grandparents to the daughters Denise adopted, Khetsi and Sindi, currently in Greece and the UK. Eventually retirement beckoned, and after a few years of pottering (as we all plan to during retirement), Eric and Mavis decided they wanted to live in the SAR.

“Hong Kong is a nice place to spend retirement,” Eric states. “The weather is lovely, and I suppose being here, in this location, I’m spoilt.” For Eric, DB is ideal;

necessary regular services – doctor, pet store, barber – are easily accessible, and it felt familiar. “We knew what we were coming into. It was another extended holiday until Mavis said, ‘Do we have to go back?’ I didn’t want to move any place else. I have no regrets.”

The couple resettled in DB in 2013, and Eric seems not to miss the UK – certainly not its politics. His view on Brexit, for instance, is that he would not have voted in the referendum even if he had been able to. “The result of the referendum will affect younger people for years to come,” he reasons, “so they should be the ones deciding the outcome.”

Sadly, Mavis was only in DB for less than a year before passing away. Eric’s residency became permanent last November, which was an important step for him personally, as a way to demonstrate commitment.

Eric with his helpers Raisel, Melita and Ruena, and daughter Denise

So, the question must be asked: that guy. As far as exercise went, I What’s the secret to reaching played tennis quite a bit.” 99? Eric chuckles that chuckle again, and waves off any mystery. As the afternoon wears on, Eric He’s remarkably fit, having only loosens up and the regular teasing had cataract and heart surgery and bantering Susan talks about according to Susan. That elicits a starts up. Like most, he’s planning raised eyebrow. “I don’t remember on a low-key Chinese New Year, or rather, he thinks he is. “I “Of course, the world is changing. used to enjoy giving a red packet to the lion dancers at Words of wisdom And I like to think it’s getting better. I certainly don’t have all the residents club [DBRC] and watching the fireworks from one of the terraces Eric doesn’t fancy himself the answers, and I don’t want at the Peninsula,” he says. special, but for the rest of us he’s a living repository of to force my views on people, “These days though, I leave the planning to Denise… 20th century headlines – an but I’m happy to give advice” and just show up when eyewitness to world history. I’m told.” Eric has lived through the Great Depression, the Second that.” He gets fresh air every day, And what are Eric’s hopes for 2021, World, Korean, Vietnam and Cold and keeps his mind engaged with the Year of the Ox? “I would like to Wars, South America’s Dirty Wars, Mexican Train and strategy games make it to 100 and receive a card two Gulf Wars, Nixon, Thatcher, with friends, crossword puzzles from the Queen,” he says. “I have a Apartheid, Suharto, Pol Pot, two and Sudoku, and reading (currently better chance of doing so by living Duvaliers… the list goes on. It’s John Jakes’ On Secret Service). here rather than if I was in the UK. hard to resist asking if the world is As has been said before, he did Hong Kong is a safe place to be changing, and if he has any words everything in moderation. during the pandemic.” of wisdom. “I worked hard, did my best at Raisel and Melita start flipping “Of course, the world is changing,” work. I smoked when it was kind through a bound collection of he says quickly. “And I like to think of ‘illegal.’ When it became OK, photos Denise had made for Eric’s it’s getting better. I certainly don’t I didn’t want to anymore. I never 99th birthday. Everyone looked like have all the answers, and I don’t really drank,” Eric reasons. “I a movie star in the 1940s but Eric want to force my views on people, watched a lot of liquor go down the – in his RAF uniform and cocked but I’m happy to give advice.” As an drain and I saw what happened beret – was silly handsome. He lets aside, his friend Susan points out when people got too fond of the himself bask in the attention of four he’s great at it too. drink. I determined I’d never be women. Just for a bit.

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