Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

James Skinner, known as Jim, was born on 22 February 1896 at Makikihi, South Canterbury, the eldest son of Peter and Ellen (Nellie, née Logan) Skinner. Peter and Ellen married in 1889 in New Zealand and went on to have a family of seven sons and seven daughters, all but the two youngest born in South Canterbury. In 1890, Scottish-born Peter was at Geraldine, the district where two older brothers, James and Robert, had settled. Yet, in 1889, the birth of their first child was registered at Waimate, the family having settled at Makikihi, where Peter farmed. Young Jim joined his older sisters at Makikihi School in 1901. Peter was elected to the Makikihi School committee in 1898. There were many times when he provided violin music or singing at entertainments to aid the funds of Makikihi School and at social gatherings.

“Last Friday night about a hundred of the residents of the Makikihi and surrounding districts gathered in the Makikihi schoolroom to bid farewell to Mr and Mrs Peter Skinner. Mr Skinner has been a resident of Makikihi for eighteen years and has sold his farm in order that he may enter on more extensive agricultural pursuits in another locality. During the evening Mr R. Thompson, on behalf of the subscribers, presented Mr Skinner with a handsomer gold albert, and Mrs Skinner with a beautiful tea and coffee service as a token to show the esteem in which they were held. Mr Skinner suitably responded thanking every one for their kindness. While the younger members of the gathering amused themselves dancing those more advanced in years thoroughly enjoyed themselves with games requiring less exertion. Several songs were rendered and an excellent supper was provided.” [Timaru Herald. 3 Dec 1906.] James and his siblings left Makikihi School in November 1906 for Hannaton School, and in October 1908, they left Hannaton for Papakaio School near Oamaru. At Papakaio, Mr P. Skinner was again elected to a school committee. James left school in October 1910 to go home, probably to work.

James Skinner, a labourer at Papakaio, was listed in the North Otago quota which went forward on 27 July 1916 to join the Nineteenth Reinforcements. He enlisted on 28 July 1916 at Trentham. He was still serving with the 10th Regiment. A farmer at Papakaio, single and Presbyterian, he named his father as next-of-kin – Peter Skinner, Papakaio, Oamaru. Private J. Skinner embarked with the 19thy Reinforcements, leaving from Wellington on 15 November 1916. The news in May 1918 was not good. Lance-Corporal James Skinner, New Zealand Entrenching Battalion, was reported missing, believed to be a prisoner of war. A Court of Enquiry determined in October 1918 that he had been killed in action on 16 April 1918 at the Somme. “Mr and Mrs Skinner, of Papakaio, have just received the sad news that their son, Lance-Cpl. Jas. Skinner, was killed in action in France on the 16th of April. He was reported missing on that date, and after long anxious waiting they receive the sad news. Lance-Cpl. Skinner enlisted before he was 20 years of age, and left with the Nineteenth Reinforcements. He was a very quiet and promising young man, and will be greatly missed.” [Oamaru Mail. 30 Oct 1918.] At the November 1918 meeting of the North Otago Pipe Band, a vote of condolence was passed to Mr and Mrs Peter Skinner (Papakaio) and family on the death of their son, the motion being carried with the customary mark of respect.

James Skinner is named on the Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial, Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Belgium. All his service had been in Western Europe, for which he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He is remembered, too, on his parents’ headstone at Papakaio Cemetery. James Skinner is one of ten names inscribed on the Papakaio War Memorial – “Erected by the Residents of Papakaio, In Honour of the Men of the District, Who Gave Their Lives in the Great War, 1914 – 1918.”

His sorrowing parents, sisters and brothers inserted an In Memoriam notice in the Oamaru Mail of 16 April 1919 – “In loving memory of Lance-Corporal James Skinner, Papakaio, 19th Reinforcements (Entrenching Battalion), killed in action in France on 11th [sic]April, 1918; aged 22 years. At peace.” Thomas Skinner, farm hand, Papakaio, was called up in June 1918, on becoming liable for service. “Thomas Skinner, farmer, Papakaio, was appealed for by his father, Peter Skinner, as the only son left on the farm. He had bought the farm of 226 acres in 1908. There were 70 acres of wheat and 30 acres of oats, with five more to go in. He had a son reported missing at the front. The eldest other son was 15 years of age. The Chairman said that the case appeared capable of being dealt with by section 18, subsection 8. The appeal was adjourned sine die.” [Oamaru Mail. 20 Aug 1918.] Thomas was best man when his sister Ellen married in November 1920. Ellen was given away by her father. Peter Skinner died at his Papakaio residence on 5 October 1926, aged 72 years, and survived by five sons and seven daughters. His funeral cortege was a mile in length and included many representative settlers of North Otago and South Canterbury. Ellen Skinner died on 20 July 1951. Peter’s brothers who farmed at Hilton, are both buried at Geraldine – James (unmarried) in 1908 and Robert (survived by a family) in 1925

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [16 December 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [16 December 2022]; School Admission records (South Canterbury & Oamaru branches NZSG) [16 December 2022]; South Canterbury Times, 26 April 1898, Timaru Herald, 3 December 1906, 12 November 1926, Oamaru Mail, 23 April 1912, 24 May 1918, 19 June 1918, 20 August 1918, 30 October 1918, 6 November 1918, 16 April 1919, 29 November 1920, North Otago Times, 26 July 1916, Otago Daily Times, 28 July 1916, 31 May 1918, 6 October 1926, Waimate Daily Advertiser (Papers Past) [16 & 17 December 2022]; Papakaio Cemetery h, 13 November 1926eadstone image (Find A Grave) [16 December 2022]; Papakaio Cemetery headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records) [16 December 2022]; Papakaio War Memorial photo (NZ History, New Zealand history online) [17/12/2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.