Name Index

To

Centenarian

Trans. Devon. Assoc. 1880, Vol XII, pp. 72-73.

by

W. Pengelly, FRS, FGS, etc.

Prepared by Michael Steer

Reaching 100 years of age has long fascinated society. The century mark holds an almost mystical importance as a seal of hardiness and good health — it is the sign of a life well-lived. People who reach 100 are regularly feted in newspaper stories, television broadcasts, and family parties. They get birthday greetings from the Queen. The major problem with statistical data relating to centenarians is that they are vulnerable to age error. There is a general tendency to overstate the ages of old persons as they and their family members take pride in their alleged longevity. This tendency is more pronounced in populations that are not accustomed to keeping records of age and often results in fanciful claims to extreme longevity in countries where there was no birth registration at the time when the persons in question were born. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Miss Boles: - "A Devonshire centenarian has just joined the fellowship of the unseen. The maiden sister of the late General Boles, of Cranford, died last Thursday (17th July, 1879), at Bicton Place, Exmouth. She attained her hundredth year last April twelvemonth." (W. M. N, 21st July, 1879.)

Finding that the Rev. J. N. Boles, of Crowcombe Rectory, near Taunton, was a nephew of Miss Boles, the reputed centenarian, I applied to him for information. In his reply, dated 30th July, 1879, Mr. Boles says of his aunt, "She was only in her hundredth year, having been born on the 27th April, 1780."

Mr. Boles adds that his aunt, Miss Jane Boles, was the fourth daughter and seventh child of Thomas and Grace Boles of Moyge, Co. Cork.