Genealogy Chat

I have the marriage cert for Charles Skinner to Jane Lacey 21st April 1845. He is a mariner 'of full age'. His father is also a Charles - occupation carpenter. No problem so far. BUT I can't find him, or any of his family anywhere! On the LDS site (marriages) they have him as being born in Lympstone Devon c1822. I guess that they've arrived at the dob by simply deducting a few years from his marriage, but Lypmpstone! Where did that come from?! He's not there under births/christenings. Has anyone else come across this - and where do I go from here? All advice welcome. Lizzie

Does the marriage cert confirm that they married in Lympstone? The entry on the LDS site is a member submission and as such, could be wildly inaccurate or it could be correct. Do you have Charles on any census? Sam x

If the LDS info is submitted by an individual it might be made up or guessed. Or possibly the submitter has found a birth c. 1822 and assumed this is the same chap who married Miss Lacey. This kind of connection without any proof is common on personal submissions, I've found. Charles Skinner isn't a particularly unusual name. What is on the marriage cert is more authentic, but again when it just says 'full age' that isn't much of a clue, is it? Have you tried to find him on a census, which would hopefully confirm his age and birthplace? nell

Hi Sam, They married in the parish church of Littleham Devon. I can't find him in Devon in 1841with or without his father. There are 2 suspects for Charles the younger but neither seem to fit. By 1851 Jane is on the census as a widow. And of course I can't find a death recorded for him! My brick wall I think. Lizzie

I see they married in Devon: Jane Mary Lacey 1845 Apr-May-Jun St Thomas Volume: 10 Page: 383

Lizzie, 1851 census HO107/1953/62/47/173 Bristol, Gloucestershire Charles Skinner H M 26 Coach maker Frangendon, Devon Jane Skinner wife 31 of Bristol, Temple Charles Skinner son 2 of Bristol, St James William Skinner son 5mths of Bristol, St James Hope this helps, Vera

Thanks Vera, but sadly not my family. By 1851 Jane is a widow and living with her two children Henry (my gggrandfather) and Sarah at her parents - the Laceys - home. Unless of course Charles was two timing her...

I can't find him on the LDS site at all! Can you give the details of the entry? Kate.

In desperation have ordered list of Skinner baptisms 1813 - 1839 from the Devon FHS. All 43 pages of them. Hopefully this will shed some light on my elusive family! If Nell is right, then the LDS informant may have done the same... Lizzie

Exactly Kate; he's only there under his marriage to Jane Lacey and parent to Henry and Sarah!

the LDS submitter hasn't got Charles's name -- they've just inferred a Mr Skinner from there being a widow Skinner. The whole thing looks like just standard guesswork based on the 1851 census and nothing else really

Hi Lizzie can i hijack , you say you have ordered a list of baptisms from F H s? how do you go about doing that and how much does it cost? Gill

Gill, I don't know about other areas, but on the Devon FHS site you can put in a surname and order baptism, marriage or death details. They send you an estimate for each surname and tell you how much it will cost, then you can pay online. They are sent through by email and you'll need Adobe Acrobat (free to download) to read them. You can order and have them sent by post too. My 43 pages of Skinner baptisms is costing £7. As did my 28 pages of marriages last year!! Hope this is useful. Lizzie

Lizzie, thank's, i didn't know you could do that, very useful to know. Thank's Gill