Two of the world’s oldest quadruplets have died, just weeks before they would have celebrated their ninetieth birthday.
Ann, Ernest, Paul and Michael were born on 28 November 1935 at their family home in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, gaining global attention in 1935 because they were the first British multiple birth babies to survive for more than a few days. They became known as the St Neots Quads.
The family announced last month that Paul and Michael Miles had passed away within nine days of each other last month. There remain two surviving St Neots Quads, Anne and Ernest.
A statement from their elder brother Gordon, two years older than the quadruplets, in local media, said: “Our entire family is very sad to lose Michael and Paul. Their story is extraordinary. Back in 1935 I don’t think anyone could have imagined that premature quadruplets would live so long.
”We are grateful that, after such a precarious start, they were able to enjoy long and happy lives raising their own families. We will miss them.”
Parents Walter and Doris Miles were expecting twins when they discovered they were pregnant. A few months before the birth, three babies were identified in an x-ray and a fourth was later spotted.
The babies were delivered over seven weeks early by a local GP, a district nurse, and Mrs Miles’ mother. As premature births, all four babies were small, thin and incredibly week without fully developed finger and toenails according to the St Neot’s Museum, which runs a display dedicated to the family.
Michael, the last to be born, struggled to breathe directly after birth and had to be given artificial respiration for over 50 minutes before he could start to breath unaided. The quadruplets had to be fed sterilised water from a teaspoon by their grandmother as they couldn’t be breastfed properly.
News of the quadruplets spread as they survived past the first few days. In order to protect the infants, who were unable to maintain body temperatures without assistance and needed to be kept free of infection, they moved in with GP Dr E.H. Harrisson. A team of four specialist nurses were sent from Great Ormond Street Hospital, free of charge, to care for them.
For the first few weeks, the babies were not bathed, but were rubbed all over with olive oil, according to the museum. They were fed with milk fetched twice daily from Queen Charlotte’s Hospital, London, that had to be skimmed and diluted by 50 per cent for the babies to digest properly.
Mr and Mrs Miles were eventually able to take their four babies home and money was raised to help raise them after the doctor estimated it would cost at least £5,000 at the time, an equivalent to £310,383.65 in modern day currency. Mrs Miles received £4.00 from the Keeper of the Privy Purse shortly after the birth of the babies and donations flooded in from across the country.
Upon hearing news of Michael and Paul’s deaths, the St Neots Museum issued the following statement: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the recent deaths of Michael and Paul Miles, two of the famous St Neots quadruplets. They would have celebrated their ninetieth birthday this November.
“The story of the Miles quads is one of the most cherished in our museum, and their remarkable early years continue to inspire visitors of all ages. Recorded as the oldest surviving quadruplets in the world, their lives represent a milestone in medical history and a powerful local story of resilience and family love.
“An additional display dedicated to the Miles family is open at the museum, featuring a christening gown and a recorded interview with their mother, Doris Miles. This display runs until Tuesday 23 December 2025.
“We are grateful to the Miles family for generously sharing their memories and personal items with the museum over many decades, helping us preserve and share this extraordinary chapter in St Neots’ history. Our thoughts are with their family and friends at this sad time.”
