Margaret Ann Neve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Ann Neve
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Margaret Ann Neve in July 1902
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| Born |
Marguerite Anne Harvey
18 May 1792 |
| Died | 4 April 1903 (aged 110 years, 321 days) Guernsey
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| Nationality | British |
| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) | John Neve (m. 1823–1849; his death) |
Margaret Ann Neve (born Harvey, 18 May 1792 – 4 April 1903) was an amazing woman who lived for a very long time. She was the second person ever officially proven to be a supercentenarian. A supercentenarian is someone who lives to be 110 years old or more! Margaret Neve lived on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel.
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About Margaret Ann Neve
Margaret Ann Neve was born as Marguerite Anne Harvey on 18 May 1792. She was the oldest of seven children. Most of her childhood was spent on the island of Guernsey. Later, she changed her name to Margaret Ann. When she was young, she had a bad fall down the stairs. She was unconscious for three days, but she recovered!
Early Life and Education
Margaret remembered the big changes that the French Revolution brought to Guernsey. Her father was in charge of the local army at that time. When she was 15, Margaret sailed to Weymouth with her father. A storm made their ship land at Chesil Beach.
She went to school in Bristol, England. There, she became very interested in books and poems. In 1815, she went to a special school in Brussels. She learned to speak French and Italian very well. She could also talk a bit in German and Spanish. Margaret even read the New Testament in Greek!
Meeting Famous People
After the famous Battle of Waterloo, Margaret visited the battlefield. This was soon after the fight, once the bodies had been buried. She picked up some souvenirs there. Later, she showed them to a famous Prussian general named Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in London.
Margaret also met Charles François Dumouriez. He was a general from the French Revolutionary Wars. He called her "la spirituelle," which means "the witty one."
Marriage and Travels
Margaret married John Neve on 18 January 1823. He was from Kent, England. They got married in St Peter Port church. For their honeymoon, they visited the Waterloo battlefield, eight years after the battle. Margaret lived in England for 25 years while she was married. After her husband died in 1849, she moved back to Guernsey. They did not have any children.
In 1871, Margaret lived with her sister Elizabeth Harvey. They lived in a house called 'Chaumière'. Margaret and Elizabeth loved to travel. Their last trip was in 1872 when Margaret was 80 years old. They visited the city of Kraków in Poland.
Later Years and Longevity
On 18 May 1899, a party was held to celebrate Margaret's 107th birthday. Many important people from the town came to the celebration. Even though she was so old, a reporter from The Times found her making marmalade the next morning!
Margaret was rarely sick. She only got the flu when she was 105. Then, she had bronchitis at 108. When she was 110 years old, she even climbed a tree to pick an apple! She said apples tasted much better straight from the tree.
A newspaper said she enjoyed a glass of sherry at lunch and a weak whiskey and water at supper. She always woke up early and did not eat or drink between meals.
Margaret Ann Neve died on 4 April 1903. She was 110 years and 10 months old. The day before she died, she reportedly repeated a Psalm in a loud voice. Flags in Guernsey were lowered to half-mast to show respect. She was one of the very last people alive who had been born in the 18th century.
See also
In Spanish: Margaret Ann Neve para niños
- List of British supercentenarians
- List of the verified oldest people
- Salome Sellers – (1800–1909) last surviving person from the 18th century
- Nabi Tajima (1900–2018), the last known surviving person born in the 19th century.
- Gallery of supercentenarians born before 1850 Gerontology Research Group (GRG), published 5 January 2018
