9th October 1949
The Channel Islands’ oldest inhabitant dies
Mrs C Buttfield made it to the ripe old age of 104 before dying at St Helier. That made her the oldest resident of the Channel Islands but, while remarkable, her longevity certainly wasn’t unheard-of.
In 1885, Sarah Robinson, who had been the wife of the medical inspector general had also died aged either 104, as reported by some papers, or 114, as printed in the Aberdeen Evening Press of 30 November that year. A Mrs Guppy had reached 101 before dying in February 1928 at the Jersey Home for Infirm and Aged Women, and Mrs Poingdestre reached 103 before dying on the night of 8 October 1894.
FREE Jersey history newsletter
Don't miss our weekly update on Jersey's fascinating history. We promise never to sell your data to anyone else, and there's a super-easy unsubscribe link on the bottom of each email so you can leave whenever you want.
Other events that occured in October
Occupation resister Louisa Gould is born
- Louisa Gould gave refuge to an escaped Russian slave during the occupation of Jersey but was exposed to authorities and tried.
- Read more…
Collapsing chimney kills a girl
- The channel was struck by hurricane force winds at the end of October 1887. It blew over a chimney, which killed a girl.
- Read more…
Under-defended Jersey mulls conscription
- Six years before it was invaded and occupied during the Second World War, Jersey’s authorities recognised that the island was dangerously under-defended.
- Read more…
Jersey rejects proposed timezone change
- A proposal to adopt Central European Time was put to Jersey voters, who rejected it in favour of maintaining the island's link with UK time.
- Read more…