BIOGRAPHY

Hawkins was born in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, on 24 January 1911. She was one of seven children born to Alfred and Maude Evans, with five brothers and one sister. Her father worked as an insurance agent, while her mother cared for the family. Her aunt managed a boarding house for sailors arriving from overseas. At the age of three, her family moved to Newport, where she grew up. As a young girl, she lived in a four-bedroom terraced house near the docks, where she witnessed the 1919 race riots and the military presence during World War I. At the age of seven, she joined dance classes and began touring the north of England with her dance troupe, performing in pantomimes. She left the troupe at 14 and stayed at home, as her parents decided to pull her out while the group continued to travel. Instead, she worked at a branch shop of a warehouse and later spent eight years at a wholesale warehouse. Subsequently, she moved to a department store, where she gained recognition for her decorating skills.

Her future husband, sign-writer George Hawkins, had a motorcycle, and the young couple frequently went on rides together. They married in 1937 and lived in Newport during World War II. They built an Anderson shelter and were responsible for supervising fire-watching duties for every three or four streets. Each street had to use a stirrup pump and bucket to extinguish any fires. During the war, most of her brothers served in the Navy or Merchant Navy, while her husband joined the Army. Her brother Edward worked on liners, and his ship was used as a troop carrier in the Pacific theater. Two years after the war ended, their daughter Rosemary was born. The young family moved to Llandegfedd and later returned to Newport, settling in a house on School Terrace in Rogerstone. After her husband passed away in 1996, she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law.

On her 110th birthday, she went viral on TikTok after her 14-year-old great-grandson posted a video of her singing the music hall song “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.” After that, her family shared several more videos, including one where she performs a dance with her great-grandson.

Hawkins passed away in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, at the age of 110 years, 228 days, a few days after testing positive for COVID-19.

RECOGNITION

Hawkins’ age was verified by Dr. Andrew Holmes and validated by the ESO on 15 February 2021.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Wales oldest person, Amy Hawkins, who is 108, looks back at early life in Newport and living through two world wars” – South Wales Argus, 26 January 2019

* “Welsh woman marks 110th birthday with viral TikTok fame” – The Guardian, 29 January 2021

* “Amy Winifred Hawkins – Wales’ oldest woman – dies age 110” – South Wales Argus, 13 September 2021

GALLERY