The hunt for Skinners in Kent

---

Geo: 51.1756, 0.753484

Kim has been doing work on her family tree and after hitting some dead ends with her family she spent some time working on the Skinner line. After doing some research she discovered that my great, great, great grandfather was from Kent England and lived in the village of Pluckley. Last Saturday we packed up the dog in the car and drove over to see the motherland. As we were getting close to Pluckley we came across the ruins of St. Mary's church in Little Chart. We decided to stop and investigate. It turns out that this church was hit by a German V1 rocket (Doodlebug) and destroyed. After investigating the ruins we decided since we were so close to Pluckley that we would check the grave stones to look for any Skinners. Due to the age of the grave stones they were very difficult to read. As I wandered though the cemetery I came across one that I could make out the last name of Skinner. As I looked closer for the first name I finally made it out. It was Stephen. I called out to Kim, "I found one...Its mine". I felt like I was in some weird episode of the Twilight Zone. We wrote done the information listed on the head stone and continued on our way. We went into Pluckley to the church in town and continued our search for Skinners. We found two other headstones in this cemetery for a Flora and Betty Skinner. We went into the church were we discovered plaques on the walls that had several Skinners listed. The town itself is very small with a pub, butcher, general store and a post office. After having a pint at the pub we continued on our adventure. On the 1841 Census it listed that Thomas Skinner (my great, great, great grandfather) lived in Pluckley in a house named Snagsmount Cottage. Kim was able to find out that the house is still standing and being lived in today. We drove by to see it for ourselves. We then went on to Bethersden. Another small village to the south where more Skinners were reported to be from. We once again went to the local church and found more Skinner headstones in the cemetery.

It was an interesting day of hunting for the past. I do find it quite ironic that 5 generations ago the Skinners were living here in Kent. In 1848 they decided that they wanted to leave and go to America. They boarded a ship named The Independence and sailed to New York. Generations later the Skinners made it to the Detroit area where we stayed until Kim and I moved back to where they started 5 generations earlier.

---

Photos

Pluckley Patriots
Look for the Skinners

Pluckley Patriots
Look for the Skinners

Comments

[Karl Walser]

Wow! That is so cool! Very small world, isn't it? Crazy cool, sounds like fun!

[Bond]

This picture is sweet...as in totally awesome. Really enjoyed this TravelPod entry...very interesting!

[Sean]

So cool, diggin' into your own history. Congratulations. That would be awesome. I wish to do that one day in Ireland. And such amazing photos too. Kent looks beautiful in full bloom. You gotta take me to that old church ruins next tim
e I come out.

[Gravy]

Bad Dog!

[Jim]

Awesome adventure into your past ,real interesting you moved so close to your ancestors,enjoy the seargh.

[maria ismail]

I love this cottage... typical of English homes..

[Bob Hawes]

My mother, grandmother and great grandmother have all lived or stayed here at some time - surnames Shrubsole, Bassett and Page. I'll have to work on dates - all after 1902.

[David Skinner]

Hello. I am also related to the Skinner's of Pluckley. see www.greatchartatwar.org.uk