George Fielder Quinton – Mayor of Newport IoW
Figure 1: George Fielder Quinton
George Fielder Quinton was born in Newport, Isle of Wight in 1867, the son of a tallow chandler named George Quinton and his wife Sarah Fielder. He was a brother to Helen Kegie’s grandmother, Emma Quinton.
He found work as a carpenter, but later in life is recorded as a builder and contractor.
On 27th December 1892 he married Georgina Underwood, and they had three children: Percival George (1893), Constance (1896) and Eva (1900).
He is best remembered for the extraordinary range of public duties he performed, such as the Board of Guardians, the Mental Hospital Committee, the Newport Education Committee and the County Council. He was a natural leader and a tireless worker for the community, serving as Mayor of Newport for three years ending in 1925.
He died unexpectedly on 19th July 1930, having gone to London and been in a nursing home following an operation. His death was a shock to Newport and there was a huge outpouring of grief with an enormous funeral organised by the Brethren, of which he was a long-serving member. It was reported that 1200 scholars from the elementary schools stood in silence as a mark of respect for all that he had done for education. There was also a letter of sympathy from HRH Princess Beatrice.
His obituary in the Isle of Wight County Press for 26 July 1930 described him as:
“…a member of a well-known and highly esteemed local family, and worthily filled a leading position in the public and commercial life of his native town and Island”.
Figure 2: George and Georgina as Mayor and Mayoress
Figure 3: A Christmas greeting from the Mayor and Mayoress in 1923-24
Figure 4: George in his car with Georgina sitting behind him