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
Jersey starts issuing its own stamps
- Jersey issued its first stamps on 1 October 1969 when the island's postal service gained independence from the mainland.
- Read more…
Prolific writer George d’La Forge dies
- George F Le Feuvre was born in St Ouen on 29 September 1891 and, over the next nine decades, did much to preserve the Jèrriais language, despite spending many years in Canada and America.
- Read more…
HMS Charybdis sinks with heavy loss of life
- JMS Charybdis was sunk by two torpedoes during the Second World War with the loss of more than 400 sailors.
- Read more…
De La Salle College opens
- The Roman Catholic De La Salle College opened its doors to its first pupils at the start of autumn term, 1917, with a roll of just twelve.
- Read more…