Ellen Margaret Rodford

 

A small piece taken from my upcoming book - Bunston Family Revisited

Ellen was born in Torquay, Devon around September 1867.  She was three years old at the time of the 1871 census when she lived at the family’s lodging house with her parents and younger sister.

In 1881, Ellen was a 13-year-old schoolgirl.  She still lived with her family.  By 1891 the 23-year-old had no occupation listed.  She still lived with her family, so I would assume she would help with the family business. 

Five years later, around October 1896, Ellen married Robert Henry Skinner.  Bob was born on January 23, 1864 in Barnstaple, Devon.  He was likely the son of Robert and Mary Ann Skinner.  The couple would have one daughter together named Dorothy.  The year before their marriage, on January 14, 1895 Bob was initiated into the Freemasons at nearby Dartmouth.  His occupation is listed as modeller.

In 1901 Ellen, who was 32, was living at 5 Oxford Terrace, St Mary’s Church, Torquay.  Her baby daughter was also with her.  She is listed as being the wife of the head of the household in the census.  Since the 1911 census states Bob is a commercial traveller, I believe he was away working at the time.  The Skinner family did indeed still live in Oxford Terrace in 1911, Bob and Ellen hd, by now, been married for 14 years.  As I mentioned, Bob was employed as a commercial traveller.  He worked for the famous Longpark Pottery.

Over the years Bob would become a company director of Longpark.  He had a long history in the industry, with his father and brothers also being potters.  To quote studiopottery.com – “The name of Bob Skinner is notable - he ran the pottery from around the start of the first world war until production ceased in the second world war. The two designs that Longpark is most famous for - the cockerel and the kingfisher - became firmly establish in the years between the two wars.”

Ellen passed away in Torquay on July 20, 1937.  By this time, they had moved to 118 Teignmouth Road.  Bob and daughter Dorothy still lived here at the time of the 1939 register.  Widow Lucinda Pook was their housekeeper.  Bob is listed as a master potter.  He died 10 years later, on July 11, 1949.