Since the death of the oldest person in Newquay, the new oldest person in Newquay is Eileen Knight. She’s also the oldest person in Cornwall!
Born Eileen E Mewton in Swansea in 1907, Eileen moved to Newquay in 1909 and stayed. She worked for a tailor in Gover Lane, Newquay, until she married Leslie J Knight in 1932 when she was aged 25.
UPDATE: Eileen Knight, 1907-2016
In 2016 Eileen celebrated her 109th birthday. She’s the oldest person in Newquay, oldest person in Cornwall AND the oldest person in the South West of England! Just two days later, Eileen died in Newquay, aged 109 years and 2 days.
Eileen has one daughter, Shirley, aged 82, as well as two grandchildren and three great grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Family History
What now follows could contain errors, but I have an interest in family history, so always like to try to peek into records. This might therefore be the family history if you first try to work it out, but is not proven or evidenced by me. I could, simply, be wrong!
- 1907 – Eileen was baptised Edith Eileen Mewton in 1907 at St John Juxta Swansea, while living at 15 Upper Odo Street, Hafod, Swansea. Her father, William Edmund Mewton was a Fireman for GWR (the Railway company). Her mother was Maud Mary Mewton.
- 1884 – father William Edmund Mewson born in St Austell Reg District. 1911 Census says Bugle.
- 1894 – a William Edmund Mewton was baptised in Bodmin on the Bible Circuit. Parents William/Emma. This can’t be Eileen’s father as he’d be too young to be marrying in 1907. (OPC). However, not everybody is baptised aged 0. So I took another look. No further clues, “baptised at parents house”
In 1906 a William Edmund Mewton was a witness to a marriage at Roche of Richard Emmanuel Mewton, most probably the other WEM. (OPC). Groom is of Bugle, a clay labourer, father William Higman (deceased) an engine driver. - 1907 William Edmund Mewson marries Maud Mary Sampson. 1st qtr. She must’ve been a little pregnant.
- 1907 Edith Eileen Mewson born Swansea Reg District. 3rd qtr registered, but birth date was 20 June.
- 1909 Hilda Maud Mewson born Swansea Reg District. 4th qtr
- 1911 Census has William Edmund Mewton, born Bugle, living at Llangafelach Swansea. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWXK-GZS and living at Swansea. Wife Maude Mary, born Newton Abbot, children Edith Eileen and Hilda Maude, both born Swansea.
- After 1911 they moved to Newquay, Cornwall.
- 1932 married. Leslie John Knight at St. Columb Reg District, 4th qtr.
- 1935 they had a daughter, Shirley, 4th qtr, St Columb Reg District.
- 1957 Shirley married Michael F Green, St Austell Reg District
- 1939 Register, living at St Austell U.D.
father William Edmund, born 1884
mother, Maud M Mewton, born 1883
another person in the household, Mary J MacDonough, born 1858 - 1939 Register Ivy Knight, born 1907, with William J B Knight. So that’s not her.
Leslie Knight, born 1906, St Austell R.D., Sylvia E Knight, born 1908, is also on this record, 1 other person. - 1959 possible death of her father, St Austell Reg Dist. William E Mewton, aged 74. That’d give a YoB of ~1885
- 1990 husband Leslie died. 1908-1990. St. Austell Reg District.
- 2013 – Eileen moved into Hollybush Care Home, Newquay, where she lived for the final three years of her life.
RIP Eileen.
