Edith Skelton

 

Edith Mary Skelton was born on 8 September 1880 in Hovingham, Yorkshire and baptised there at All Saints Church of England on 17 October 1880.

She was the daughter of William Skelton, a farm labourer and Mary Ann Cooper. Edith was one of nine children born to the couple.

Edith lived in the village of Hovingham until the age of five, before moving to South Bank in 1885, some 35 miles to the north.

In 1891 her older brothers were working at the local steelworks, and her father was a general labourer.

The family lived at 60 Napier Street, South Bank, Eston.

On 4 July 1900 at the age of 19, Edith married local lad James Dennis at the South Bank Church of England.

James was a fitter and turner at the local steel works, probably with Edith’s brothers.

Edith’s sister Susannah was a witness to the marriage.

 

James and Edith had nine children –

1900 Doris b Eston d 1972 Eston, Southbank, Yorkshire
1902 Mona b Eston d 1902 Eston
1904 James b Eston d 1985 Eston
1905 Robert b Eston d 1967 Salisbury, Rhodesia
1908 Edna b Eston d Redcar 2004
1914 Edith b Eston  d
1916 Richard b Eston d 1933 Middlesbrough
1917 William b Eston d 1993 Jarrow, Durham
1923 Marie b Eston d 1987 Middlesbrough

In the 1901 census James and Edith were living at 17 Middlesbrough Rd in South Bank. James was now described as a marine engine fitter. They had their two year old daughter Doris living with them.

 

By 1911 the family had moved to 48 Upper Milbank Street, Eston, living in a four roomed house.

There were seven of them living there, and James was described as a turner and fitter in the steel manufacturing engineering works.

 

 

When war broke out in 1939, James was in a reserved occupation which included certain classes of industrial worker e.g. coal miners, train drivers and those working in the shipyards, those in the iron and steel industries especially in factories which were producing vital ammunition and equipment for the front lines.

So on the 1939 England and Wales register, James and Edith can be found listed with their  two youngest children William and Marie in 27 Pochin Road, Eston, with James as a heavy metal worker, fitter and turner at the steelworks along with his son William, who was a brass finisher. Daughter Marie was a comptometer book keeper at the steelworks in the office.

After the war the family moved to 80 Pym Street in Eston, Southbank.

James died there on 3 June 1950 aged 74, and is buried in the Eston Cemetery.

In his will he left 303 pounds to his wife Edith.

 

Edith lived for another 22 years, and died in January 1972 aged 91.

She is also buried in the Eston Cemetery.