| Notes |
- George Gardener Yabsley may have been the first person to receive the old age pension on Jan 1st 1909.
Daily Mail, 2 January 1909 Page 1
PENSION DAY.
LANDMARK IN ENGLISH
HISTORY.
THE FIRST PENSIONER.
Rarely has the first day's
working of an Act of Parliam6nt
been attended by such heartfelt
gratitude from those whom it
affected as marked the coming
into operation yesterday of the
Old-age Pensions Act.
It was a momentous day in the
lives of nearly 500,000 of the
inhabitants of this country, for
to many it meant rescue from
privation.
Perhaps the man who can
claim to be the first old-age
pensioner in the country is
George Yabsley, aged seventy'
five, of Salcombe, Devon,
concerning whom we received
last night "The following letter
from the Salcombe postmaster:'
On opening mv office at five
minutes to seven this morning I
found an old-age pensioner, Mr,
George Yabsley, aged seventy five,
waiting for his pension. I paid him as the town clock was
striking seven. He is a carpenter
by trade. and said he had been
at work since he was seven years
of age. He will celebrate his
golden wedding this year.
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