Swindon’s Oldest Man? Ooh it was a bold claim to make – even with the qualifying question mark. You can bet there was someone willing to challenge George.
George was born in 1834 in Wootton Bassett, one of Robert, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Jane’s eight children. At the time of the 1851 census he was 16 years old and described as a ‘scholar,’ meaning he was still at school, which was pretty unusual for the son of an agricultural labourer.
In 1853 he married Jane Baker at the parish church in Wootton Bassett. They both state that they are minors (under the age of 21) and both made their mark in the marriage register indicating they were unable to sign their names.
By 1871 George and Jane along with George’s 15 year old nephew were living at 1 Union Street, Swindon, where together they ran a beer house and grocers shop. And here they stayed in Union Street, all be it living at different houses, until we meet George in 1929.
George died on October 5, 1929 and left effects valued at an impressive £1,694 8s 7d. But was he the oldest man in Swindon? I suppose we’ll never know!
Swindon’s Oldest Man?
Mr George Hunt, of Avenue Road, Swindon, who has just celebrated his 95th birthday. He is believed to be the oldest man in Swindon.
Sadly, George Hunt died within weeks of the story appearing in the local newspaper. He was buried in grave plot E8155 on October 10, 1929. He joined Jane Hunt, his wife, who died at 7 Union Street aged 83 and was buried on March 6, 1917.
Radnor Street Cemetery 