SKELCY/SKELCHER Surname

[chris_49]

This is just a post to "promote" this thread to near te top of the board so that new people can see the discussion. Chris

[GwapeJilly]

Hi there!
Just wanted to let you know that I was still around. Nothing new when it comes to finding out more/new information. Just took a little break to have a baby and Im slowly getting back into the swing of things.
I know who my relatives are. But Im curious as to who on here a distant relatives. My great great grandfather was Charles David Skelcy b 1875, married Emma Clarke b 1885. Charles father: David Skelcy b 1852  Charles Mother:  Esther Fitter b 1855 
I do not know who Emma Clarkes parents were.

Thanks!~

[chris_49]

Hi Jilly, Welcome back, and Congratulations!

The difficulty lies in the difference between searching for a very rare name like Skelcy/Skelsey and a very common name like Clark/Clarke  - taken together (and in an illiterate age like the C19th you HAVE to take them together) this is I believe amongst the top 10 names in England (as opposed to GB). It seems to be particularly common in the Rugby area - I have 3 marrying in from the village or suburb of Long Lawford alone and even now I don't know if they're related to each other.

It doesn't help that Emma is sometimes called Emily, a common alternative. I just tried to find her in 1891 and the only one I can find that fits is Emma Clark (sic) daughter of Sarah widow at  West Leyes (RG12/2456, free to view at Hunimex and Freecen). I think this is the same as Sarah Clarke in 1881 at Long Street, Long Lawford (RG11/3076, free at Familysearch) because she is the right age and also born in Long Lawford, but also because there is a "son-in-law" aged 1! (code for step-son, usually) Robert Colledge, and a Sarah Colledge married a George (sic) Clarke in October 1879 in Newbold (IGI), which is where Robert was born (says census). Colledge is not a common name. I'm used to inconsistencies of this sort, and really it needs sending for certs to sort it out, but I've just blown my certs allowance trying to beat the April 5th GRO price increase deadline (see threads in common room.)

Returning to the Skelcys, I think you know about the family of Charles' brother James Skelcy, that moved to Redbrook near Monmouth. One result of the sending for certs is that we are now as certain as can be that the John Skelsey who married Florence Lowe and moved to Frankton is the Cubbington one, the son of my great great uncle John. With the Coventry John Henry (always called that) doing a disappearing act, and the mystery Warwick ones proved to be children of my John's brother Frederick, this means that the one who married Jane Nash in the Bristol area, but who had children in Rugby, can only be the John who is your Charles' brother. I'm in touch with a descendant. The only other surviving sibling was Imri, who seems never to have married (still a bachelor at 38 when he tried to enlist in 1916, died in 1938.)

Hope all that makes sense! Chris


 

[GwapeJilly]

Chris!
I know that I will have to read and reread all of that a few times over since its been awhile since Ive looked up and really searched for anything lately.
Thanks for the congratulations! I just wanted to make sure that it was known that I am still here in case anyone needed info on any of Charles descendents.
Thanks again for the info, you are wonderful!

~Jilly

[chris_49]

Aw, shucks! (*blushes*)

I've still made no sense of Emma Clarke's father - George on the marriage records, Thomas on the census. I did find Robert Colledge in 1891, with his grandparents George and Harriet Colledge. They did have a daughter Sarah, born 1850, which matches. George came from Burbage in Leicestershire, Harriet from Wolston which is nearby. Tracing Clarkes, even if we were sure of the forename, is much harder.

Chris

[lskelcey0812]

hi everyone, i am just starting out but am a skelcey...and this is really really interesting so thanks everyone for the information! My grandad was brian skelcey from cubbington married to kitty and they lived in coventry. Not sure yet how they link in but I will follow this up and let you know anything I find out...

Thanks again

Laura

[chris_49]

Hello Laura. Welcome to Rootschat.

I actually know who you are, your Dad is my second cousin, though I've never met him. I've been in contact with your Dad's brother -  though not for some time - so that's how I know about your branch of the family. (I must write to your uncle again.)

Our mutual ancestors were James Skelcey and Sarah Ann Green from Cubbington. They had eleven children of whom ten survived to adulthood and six had families of their own. My granddad was the eldest, George Henry Skelcey born 1873 Cubbington (one of two with those names born there that year). Your great granddad was seventh child and third son James (Jim) born 1886, who married Winifred Carpenter ("Auntie Win" who I met as a child but don't remember.)

Your grandmother's name was Margaret Johnson but she was known as Kitty - don't ask me why, there's a lot of this sort of thing in my tree! Coincidentally Brian's sister Mavis also married a Johnson but he was completely unrelated.

I've traced the elder James Skelcey's parents George Skelcey and Ann Draper back many generations, though before censuses and compulsory birth registration this is not an exact science. Also Sarah Green's father Samuel - her mother Hannah Hudson is a bit of a mystery, though I've followed a family in Ladbroke which seems very likely to be hers.

I have a tree on GenesReunited which shows all of this. I also have photos of James and Sarah in their old age, and one of Jim and Win with Mavis and Brian as children. I'll send you a message about this. Chris

[chris_49]

Promoting the thread (again)

[BushInn1746]

John Kelsey

In the Nuneaton Court's Baron of Sir Wilughby Aston, Baronet, (also spelt Sir Willoughby Aston) held between 1689 to 1691 a John Kelsey is mentioned as occupying the fields called the "Spring and the Moore" up to the fields of Mr Stratford called the "Priest Field" and close to "Bratts Hall" alias "Bretts Hall" (Brett's Hall). Bretts Hall was near the border of the Medieval 'Manor of Stockingford' (known as Galley Common today), with the Parish of Ansley.

John Kelsey also held the Well Fields in 1690 and the Map of the Titheable Lands (surveyed later in 1842) indicates the "Well Close" field to be at the back of the Plough Inn, Plough Hill Road (on Plough Hill), formerly called the "Holly Bush" Stockingford before 1813 and Joshua Kelsey's circa 1746.

A John Kelsey also lived at the old farm, buildings behind the current Park Farm house, at Park Farm Plough Hill, Galley Common.

Mark