Parish records - Salisbury St Edmunds

[freya]

Hello, does anyone have access to St Edmunds parish records (of births)? I am interested in anyone with surname of Skeats/Skeates etc. Mainly in the beginning during the period leading up to 1837 from the late 1700's.

Any help appreciated.
Freya 

[Little Nell]

Hi Freya,

Welcome to RootsChat.

I have access to baptisms up to 1812 or so and marriages to the late 1700s.  Are you looking for anyone in particular?  I've found 8 Skeat(e)s baptisms so far.  Not looked at the marriages.

Nell

[freya]

Hi Nell, frankly I am struggling a bit with the Skeats' now. I have been doing my family history for 5 or 6 years and am stuck as far as discovering where they came from prior to 1797 when one Skeats, Edward (my ggg grandfather) appeared as a "sojourner" in Ringwood. On a later census he quotes his birthplace as Burbage Wilts, however there is a great website for that town and no Skeats appears anywhere. Bearing in mind he was a chimney sweep and they were not highly regarded and were often said to have addresses which were effectively under a tarpaulin, that may not be surprising.
I have found several references to Skeats family in Salisbury (including a criminal record for an Edward Skeats involving St Edmunds Salisbury and Ringwood). Also more recent family members were mysteriously born there despite being "based" in Ringwood. This leads me to suspect (or hope for) a family connection. 
After this ramble I guess the short answer to your request is no, I really am trying to get hold of any info on the Skeats name in St Edmunds that I can! Hoping to get possible siblings and/or parents for Edward.  Not too helpful I know, but honestly I would like to get anything you have time to extract.
I have looked at Pallots and Phillimores marriages for St Edmunds and IGI, very little info there though.  It is really births at the moment though I am suspicious of the apparent lack of marriages in St Edmunds.
Best Wishes
freya

[Little Nell]

First of all, I've drawn a blank with Edward Skeat(e)s.   

This is what I found:
Baptisms at St Edmunds

Christian Skeats 23 Feb 1722 parent John & Eliz.
Ann 8 Sep 1824 parents John & Eliza
Highmore 17 Mar 1728 parents John & ELizabeth

Ann b 17 Nov 1777, bapt 29 Mar 1778, parents John & Mary

Mary Ann Willis Skeats b 11 Mar bapt 4 Apr 1810, parents John Ralph & Ann

6 Baptisms at St Thomas
Clarissa 27 Dec 1752 parents Highmore & Mary
Maria 30 Dec 1755 parents Highmore & Mary

Sarah 6 Jun 1781 parents John & Mary

Marriages:

Sushanah Skeates m Edward Westcoat 25 Sep 1746 St Edmunds
Highmore Skeats m Elizabeth Whitehart 3 Sep 1766 St Thomas
Christian Skeats m William Heasell 31 May 1779 St Thomas
Maria Skeats m John Jeboult 8 Feb 1785 St Thomas

Let me know if any of this helps.

Nell

[freya]

Hi Nell,   thats is all very useful. It  adds to my knowledge. Hopefully at some stage I will be able to make (at least) a guess as to where Edward fits in. I am not surprised though that you didnt find a record of Edward, I would guess that he was born somewhere near Burbage and moved on with his family. Maybe never was christened/baptised. It looks to me as if the family may have "kept on the move" at this stage. They settled down quite a bit as the 1800"s wore on. 
Thanks so much again for all your time.
Best Wishes
Freya   

[mjgladders]

Hi,

Can someone shed some light on the marriage of Highmore Skeats and Mary mentioned here. I have been unable to trace any details.  In fact there were several Highmore Skeats and I am having difficulty separating them, their marriages and their offspring.

Thanks in anticipation.

Regards,
Mike

[Little Nell]

I've only found one baptism of a Highmore Skeats so far: 24 Mar 1728, parents John & Elizabeth.

He married Elizabeth Whiteheart at St Thomas 3 Sep 1766 (see the reply above  )

But he may have married Mary Wheeler before this in Bemerton 25 Jan 1751.  They had two daughters: Clarissa (1752) and Maria (1755).

Nell

[mjgladders]

Thanks for the reply. On top of the Highmore -Mary Wheeler family you mention I have been given the following not all of which I can validate. There may have been at least four Highmore Skeats. Two were well known organists known as Highmore the younger and Highmore the elder:

Highmore 1 (1729-1799) married Elizabeth Whiteheart in the 1750s. In 1757 Highmore 2 (the elder) was born. There was also a daughter Maria who married a John Jeboult. (I am notsure if it wasn't the Maria from Mary Wheeler who married John Jeboult as the age looks a slightly better fit.
Highmore married a Sophia Willoughby. There is a will of a Highmore Skeats leaving his estate to daughter Maria, son Highmore 2 and wife Sophia. Apparently Highmore 1, and his two wives are buried in a vault at Rockbourne.

Highmore 2 (the elder) (1757-1831) married Elizabeth Pigott in 1786 and they had Highmore 3 (the younger). They had a son Highmore 3 and a daughter Elizabeth Whiteheart (who died as a teenager in Canterbury). Apparently Highmore 2 and his wife and daughter are buried in St Martins church,Canterbury.

Highmore 3 (786-1835) (the younger) apparently married Ann Ball in 1814 and they had a daughter Harriet inthe sdame year. Harriett went on to marry (Sir) George Elvey. There was also a Highmore 4 who was stillborn.

Maybe someone will have further infrmation.

[Little Nell]

The burials at Rockbourne in Hampshire appear to be:

Highmore aged 70 in 1799, Elizabeth aged 75 in 1794, and Sophia aged 73 in 1808.

Given that they were organists at Ely and St George's Chapel at Windsor, as well as originally being in Salisbury, you may need to look in the records of those counties as well.

Nell