Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

George Allan SKEATH is my latest research project.

I know he was born in Prescot in August 1891, his father being Daniel Skeath and his siblings, John, Albert, Arthur Molyneux and Ethel. I have been unable to find his mother's name

George landed in France with his unit on 15 January 1916 and served until being killled in action on the 30.11.1917. His death being recorded in the 423 Company War Diary by Major J R McMahon the O.C. 423 Field Company:-

"At approximately 7 am this morning, a message was received from O.C., 1/9th King's Liverpool Regiment- (To whom we were attached mfor orders), informing us that the 'S.O.S.' had gone up and we must make a post.
I immediately got the Company out in Fighting Order, and we took up a post from about F.22.c.40.01 to F.32.c.40.20. There being no machine guns to cover the point, I sent 2 Lt ROBERTSHAW to establish a liaison between the left flank of the 24th Divn. and to ask if they could provide us with Machine Guns to cover our post. 2/Lt ROBERTSHAW got into trench with O.C. of the left Battalion, 24th Divn. who readily consented to give guns to cover. By 9.26am. 2/Lt ROBERTSHAW had reported back and machine guns were in positionto cover our post. Hereabouts heavy hostile shelling was experienced and 428338 Sgt SKEATH was killed outright by a Gas Shell, which burst against him...."

He is buried at VILLERS-FAUCON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

My problem is I can't find him on any Census!

ANY help would be welcome.

Mark

Well I see the family about 1910-1912 in the St Helens area, indeed George 19 gives his birthplace as St Helens. Daniel is 49 and Nellie 44, John 24, Albert 21 and Arthur Molyneux is 8. That's quite a gap between George and Arthur, are we sure that Arthur is a brother or a nephew? or perhaps Nellie might be a second wife?

Sorry posted this in the wrong place!!

1901 census RG13 3525 31 54 indexed as Reath
2 Traine St Parr (not sure about Traine)
Daniel S Keath 39 house joiner bn Haydock
Margaret wife 40
John 14
Albert 11
Ethel 11
George Allen 9
Can't read this one son 3
all bn St Helens

1891 census RG 12 3024 65 47
2 Traine St Parr
Daniel S Keath 29 joiner bn Haydock
Margaret 31 bn St Helens
John 4 bn Haydock
Ethel 2 bn St helens
Albert 2 bn St helens

George Allen SKEATH birth registration Sept Q Prescot volume 8b page 679

Daniel SKEATH m Margaret Bates Prescot Sept 1886 vol 8b page 961

George Allen SKEATH's army records are on Ancestry

Hilary
Ed Officer

Daniel Skeath married Ellen Case in 1907 Wesley Chapel, Corporation Street St Helens, so I suspect this is "Nellie".

The boy aged 3 in 1901 I think says Richard Harold

Margaret Skeath aged 42 died June Q Prescot 1903 vol 8b page 458

Hilary
Ed Officer

Reading George's papers on Ancestry it gives the name of his fiancee to whom he made an allottment of 2s 6d a day. I think her surname is Middlehurst.

The next set of papers are George's brother John. He survived the war.

Hilary
Ed Officer

Hi everyone
Sadly there's a death for a Robert Harold Skeath 4yrs
Prescot 1902

Tina

A big "Thank you" to everyone who has helped me with this. Another man is remembered.

Mark