Albert Wiltshire
Living Alone: The Aging Population on the West
Albert hums wherever he goes. Whether he’s going up the stairs to put a book away, to put his groceries in the pantry, or walk to the other room to put the tv on, he always has a tune amongst him. Nothing in specific, just some notes that he hums to himself. It’s much quieter in the flat now that his wife of 58 years has passed away. A year and a half ago, Albert Wiltshire, 90, lost the most important part of his life, and now he has to go on alone. The routine he goes through day in and day out seldom changes, and it’s been an interesting adaptation changing that routine from two to one. He still cooks dinner for two, eats the first half, freezes the other, and saves it for the next night’s dinner.
The aging population of the west seem to be a large group that many people neglect to realize are still there. They don’t all live in nursing homes like we may think. Rather, some still live in the same home they’ve lived in for the past 45 years and still carry on each day doing the same simple things needed to get to the next day. Many of the aging population have also experienced such history that people in my generation can only refer to books to know about. I was inspired to learn more about this population and decided to follow Albert Wiltshire for a single week and see his routine that he claims almost never changes (unless his great grand children come to visit of course). From his morning exercises using a can of baked beans to his afternoon reading and his evening quiz show, I photographed Alberts daily routine while also finding out about life story.
Joining the navy at eighteen, marrying an Irish woman at thirty, having two kids, four grandchildren, and three great grandchildren all while living in different ways as a librarian is something I can only imagine about. After following Albert for a week and talking to him for hours each day, I hoped to explore as much of this as possible, as well his life now on his own.
This project was originally presented as a book.
Albert Wiltshire, 90, takes a moment on his couch in the early evening after a routine phone call with his sister in law back in Ireland, whom he calls now every fortnight after his wife passed away a year and a half ago. Living in the same maisonette for the past 45 years, Albert embraces the silence in his daily routine now that he is alone.
The only tangible thing Albert has left from his father is the shoe horn he uses to put his nice dress shoes on when he needs to leave the house, which is kept in a drawer in the kitchen.
Getting up promptly at 9am each day, Albert goes from his room to the bathroom, washes up and does morning exercises in his small maisonette in the Surrey Quays part of London, where he has lived for the past 45 years.
Each month Albert goes to the library to take out 4 new books to read as that has always been a passion of his, especially when it comes to history. Some books he dips in and out of, like Wild Flowers or The Bible, while others he reads within a weeks time.
Every year Albert hangs the same 'This is HOLY WEEK' sign in his window in preparation for Easter as he and his wife were always devout catholics and went to services together, both in Ireland and England.
Every Wednesday, Albert's granddaughters and great granddaughters come over to visit (pictured here is Poppy), mostly to help clean and do his ironing to replace the duties of his late wife, but also to keep him company as the grandchildren love to play with him and the older toys he still has in his flat.
Albert's youngest brother Frank and middle brother Patrick both joined the Navy with him when he was called up for conscription in 1941, where he stayed for the next 4 years before he was discharged at the age of 23.
Each afternoon after lunch, Albert reads the newspaper to keep updated on the local news, as well as to jog his mind and keep his memory fresh. He enjoys looking at the television guide to find when his favorite quiz shows are on, also used to exercise his mind.
Each day allows something different for breakfast depending on the day of the week, but one thing always stays the same, and thats either instant coffee or leaf tea since Albert refuses to drink bagged tea. Unfortunately he now only needs to brew enough for one cup instead of two.
Wednesday nights are the times when Albert's son David comes over for dinner after his shift on a building site, whom Albert cooks and stocks Carlsberg in his fridge for. They go over finances and watch some tv together so they have some quality time to catch up during the week.
At the age of 90, Albert can still recount the days he spent on the naval ship with his crew, talking about their 4 hours shifts and having to do the night watch where "you could see the stars for miles, like it was never ending."
Though he enjoys doing it, cleaning up at night has become less stressful to Albert because he doesn't have someone "nagging in his ear, asking if he's done the washing or put the dishes away" anymore, though he doesn't know how to cook for just one so prepares a meal for two, freezes half for the next night and eats the other half for dinner.
A couple years ago, Albert dislocated his shoulder, so every morning he sits on his bed and does his morning exercises with a can of baked beans for 1520 minutes as he doesn't have an appropriate weight to use for his fragile shoulder.
Though Albert reads many different books, especially fiction series that are current, he much more enjoys history novels and naval readings. He says "I've seen history. I don't only read about it, I've seen it", which is why he quite enjoys reading about the past.
His middle brother Patrick lives only a short bus ride away so Albert goes to visit him and his wife every Monday fortnight with a few goodies he picked up from the store, regardless of whether Patrick asked for them or not.
Even though he is 90 years old, slow and steady Albert can still walk down stairs without a problem, which he has 4 flights of in his flat complex, though on his way back up he takes the elevator as it is much harder for him to go up than it is to go down.
For the Thursday before Easter church service, Albert brings his readings with him and always sits on the outside of the third pew in the small church around the corner from his flat complex, which he now attends alone. He only wears his hearing aids to church because the new minister is much quieter when he speaks.
For the Thursday before Easter church service, Albert brings his readings with him and always sits on the outside of the third pew in the small church around the corner from his flat complex, which he now attends alone. He only wears his hearing aids to church because the new minister is much quieter when he speaks.
Albert tries to walk as much as possible whenever he has to go places, seen here going out after church, so that he can keep his exercise up and not depend on a cane or wheelchair, which is especially lucky for someone at the age of 90.
After every Good Friday service, Albert and his wife Mary would go to the fish shop around the corner and purchase fish and chips to cook and eat at home. Since she has passed, he now goes to the Weatherspoons down the road to get fish and chips and a pint for a fiver instead, as cooking for one would be much harder.
Albert's late wife Mary Ann Wiltshire meant the world to him and does what he can to keep her memory still alive in his daily life. He keeps her funeral announcement in the glass cupboard in his living room so he can see her picture every day.
It has become a bit of a struggle for Albert to go on without his wife, but he manages to the best of his ability and is grateful for the family he still has in his life. He enjoys just sitting on the couch at night under his lamp to think about them and call his different family members to make sure they are all still okay.