The Wimpole and Arrington War Memorial.
A local history and genealogy page for the Parish of Wimpole.
In memory of
Edward Charles Skinner
15628, Private, 7th Battalion,
Suffolk Regiment
(Wimpole)
Died: Wednesday 9th August 1916,
aged 25,
during the Battle of the Somme, France.
- Lest We Forget -
Edward Charles Skinner (known as "Eddie") was the eldest son of Charles and Ada Ellen Skinner of New Wimpole. Born at (what is now) 70 Cambridge Road, he was baptised in Wimpole's parish church on the 7 February 1892 [PR: as Charles Edward Skinner), and grew up in New Wimpole and attended Wimpole Village School.
When war broke out he volunteered for the Suffolk Regiment aged 23, with his formal enlistment dated the 5 October 1914. In August 1915, he was sent back from his regiment to continue his work at Cundall's, but was recalled to the Army in June 1916 and sent to France the following month.
Private Skinner was reported missing on 9 August 1916, but it was not until a year later that the family received final confirmation that he had been killed on that day.
Edward Charles Skinner has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France. He is also commemorated (under the badge
of the Suffolk Regiment)on his parent's grave in Wimpole Churchyard.
Edward ("Eddie") Charles Skinner. The two lower photographs show Edward when he was employed by the
Cundall (Orwell) Folding
Machine Co Ltd. The image on the left is c1912.
The image on the right dates to 1915/16 after he had been sent back
from his regiment in France (see below).
Edward can also be seen in the photograph of the Iron Foundry.
Click/tap on either lower image for the full employee group photograph.
WW1 Recruitment in Wimpole and Arrington:
On Monday, 28 September 1914, a recruitment meeting was held at the Assembly Rooms for the parishes of Wimpole and Arrington.
During the meeting. fourteen men from the two parishes gave their word-of-honour to enlist.
Although not named, it is believed that Edward Charles Skinner was one of those pledging to enlist that night. Read the full report of the meeting published in the Cambridge Independent Press on the 2nd October 1914.
"Private Edward Charles (Eddie) Skinner of the Suffolk Regiment, eldest son of Mr and Mrs C Skinner, of New Wimpole, was reported Missing on August 9th 1916, and it was not until a year later he was reported killed on that day. Private Skinner, who was 24 years of age, joined the Army on October 5th 1914. He was sent back to Cundall's Munitions Works, where he had been employed, in August 1915, but was recalled in June of the following year and sent out to France on 6th July. A memorial service was held in Wimpole Church on Sunday, September 23rd 1917. This is the second son Mr and Mrs Skinner have lost, Private Frank Skinner having been killed on July 1st 1916."
(Herts and Cambs Reporter November 16th 1917)
Edward [Eddie] Charles Skinner [seated far right] was the son of
Charles and Ellen Skinner of New Wimpole, Cambridgeshire.
The photograph above shows the Skinner family, photographed at the Wayman's house next door [now 68 Cambridge Road] around 1912. Back row (left to right) Arthur John Skinner (born 1900), Harry Skinner (born 1897), Frank Skinner (born 1894). Seated (left to right] Charles Skinner, Ann Mary Skinner (born 1903), Ellen Skinner [Neaves], Ada Ellen Skinner (born 1907), Edward Charles Skinner (born 1892). Missing in the photograph is elder sister Margaret Jane Skinner (born 1890). Within six years of this family photograph being taken, three of Charles and Ellen's four sons had been killed in action in France.
Photograph courtesy of Brenda and Michael Skinner (2003)
1911 Census(Combined Family) Living at 70 Cambridge Road, Wimpole (modern postal address).
[1] At the date of the 1911 Census, Mary Jane was working as a residential housemaid at the household of Author (Rev) John William Edward Conybeare, 10 Union Road, Cambridge. Conybeare was sometime Vicar of Barrington, local historian, writer of Cambridgeshire travel guides, cyclist, and publisher of a series of local postcards.
[2] At the date of the 1911 Census, Harry and Ann[ie] Mary were staying with their Aunt Mary Ann Challis, at High Street, Barrington.
"A couple of weeks ago, on a beautifully sunny autumn day, we decided to pop over to Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire. Within the estate grounds is the Anglican parish church of St Andrews and in the churchyard, very close to the entrance is a family grave that contains the mortal remains of Charles Skinner, his wife Ellen, and two of their grandchildren. The headstone must have been erected when Charles died in 1926, but the focus is very much on Charles and Ellen’s three sons, all killed in action during the First World War whilst serving with the Suffolk Regiment. I suspect that their names were added at the same time as Charles’ details, a suitable gap left between to accommodate Ellen in due course. Note too, the Suffolk Regiment cap badge at the top of the stone.
The Skinner brothers in France:
"13644 Pte Frank Skinner, standing on the right, was the first of Charles and Ellen’s four boys to die. He was killed in action on the 1st July 1916 whilst serving with the 11th Battalion and is buried in Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers La Boiselle. Just over five weeks later on the 9th August 1916, his elder brother, 15628 Pte Edward Skinner was killed in action whilst serving with the 7th Battalion. Edward, seated on the right, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval War Memorial. Finally, on the 5th April 1918, 23312 Pte Harry Skinner, also serving with the 7th Battalion, was killed in action. He too has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres War Memorial. Harry is the man standing in the centre of the photo which dates to about 1912. Thus Charles and Ellen Skinner lost their sons.
The Skinner family and Wimpole Past:
"The photograph I have usedcomes from 'Wimpole Past', a local history and genealogy site for Wimpole in South Cambridgeshire. We’ve been to Wimpole Estate before and I recommend it, particularly now, at this time of year with the leaves changing colour. We were blessed with warmth and bright sunshine but nevertheless, seeing this headstone at any time of the year brings nothing but chills. RIP Frank, Edward and Harry."
Private Edward Charles Skinner
No known grave.
Commemorated on
Pier and Face 1C and 2A,
Thiepval Memorial, Picardy, France
On the high ground overlooking the Ancre River in France, where some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War took place, stands the Thiepval Memorial. Towering over 45 metres in height, it dominates the landscape for miles around. It is the largest Commonwealth memorial to the missing in the world.
The memorial commemorates more than 72,000 men of British and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave, the majority of whom died during the Somme offensive of 1916.
