Donald Skinner Thurso - Help

[georgygirl07]

Hi - wonder if anyone can help? I have traced my family to Middlesborough - Mary & Andrew Skinner married in 1838. It shows on the marriage cerificate that andrew was from Scotland (he's listed as a sailor) and his father was Donald who was also from Scotland. He is listed as a ship's pilot. I have done several searches on the websites and have found an entry of an Andrew Skinner born to a Donald Skinner in Thurso around 1816. the mother was called Jane or Jean. There is another record of a Donald Skinner in Reay, Caithness with a wife called Jean (maiden name Gunn). They had a son called Donald (baptism 6/9/1816who could be the brother of Andrew). Any searches for Skinners all seem to be in the south of England - would love to know if there are any Skinners still in Scotland.

[Skoosh]

Georgygirl, loads of Skinners in Easter Ross around Portmahomack, (the village of Inver is full of them). If they were connected with the fishing that would explain their presence in Caithness.   Skoosh.

[georgygirl07]

Well Donald senior was a Ship's Pilot but not sure where. He's just listed on Andrew's marriage certificate as from Scotland. But I haven't been able to find him on any Census (starting 1841 onwards). Andrew the son, also isn't on any census but his wife & children are and she's listed as the head of the family and the wife of a sailor. On the same street in Middlesborough, there is a Donald Skinner living in digs with his wife - also a sailor. I think they could be brothers as his dad is also called Donald. I thought they may have moved down to England for economic reasons. Donald jnr dies falling from the mast of a ship but I've never found any record of Andrew.

Don't know what to do next. I'm thinking of going down to the National Archives to check Seaman records.

Are you a Skinner by any chance?

[Skoosh]

Don't have any Skinner's GG, but some folk from Easter Ross, I think there's a part of Inver called Skinnertown. The herring season used to start at Shetland and the fleet moved south as the season progressed, ending up at Yarmouth. The Scots fisherfolk were very familiar with the English ports.
Skoosh.

[georgygirl07]

Hi - if the census states Andrew is a sailor, is he likely to be in the navy, merchant navy or a fisherman? Also if his dad was a ship's pilot would he be more likely based at a large port like Teeside? Sorry I'm a "landlubber" and not sure what they might mean. I'm wondering about going down to the National Archives to look up Seaman details but no sure if it will be worth the trip at the moment. I've just hit a bit of a wall at the moment. I'm interested in Skinnertown - might just look that up. Thanks for the information - we always had a feeling that the family might have come from over the border!