Donald Skinner
the last skinner at abernant
Donald Skinner of Langstone Villa was our grandfather. We only knew our ‘pop’ for a few short years before his death in 1973, and much of the motivation behind this research project was our desire to know more about him and his family roots.
Donald was born at Abernant Farm 16th November 1899. Of Scottish heritage, he was the fourth child of James and Rosa Skinner of Kemeys Inferior. He went to school in Caerleon and left by his 14th birthday to work alongside his father and elder brothers on the farm.
In a letter written to her uncle John, his elder sister Jessie described 17-year-old Donald as being a typical farmer, fond of stock and easy going in nature. During WW1 Donald had to step up and take on new responsibilities at Abernant when elder brothers Wallace and Ralph were drafted into the army.
Having decided to follow his father and make a career in farming, Donald spent much of his time from 1922-26 working and living at Buckwell Farm, a remote rural property near Devauden. Buckwell was owned by his parents and appears to have been used as a place where their sons could spread their wings and hone their farming skills. Electoral Registers show that Donald, Wallace, and Ralph all spent time there.
When his father James died in 1927, Donald returned to live and work at Abernant Farm, and he later became the third Skinner to manage it. By 1932 Donald and younger brother Ray were living alone at Abernant, and they farmed it together.
His mother Rosa moved to Hendrew Farm in 1932 to live with Wallace, whilst youngest sister Margaret had left for London to train as a nurse. In his early 30s Donald was in charge of the farm and his name appeared on adverts selling stock.
In the summer of 1932 Donald married. He wed Catherine Alice Mary Phillips at Rogerstone Church on June 4th, Donald was 33 and Catherine 25 years old. In an article about the upcoming wedding, the Western Mail described Donald as a well-known farmer, as his father was before him. Catherine’s father John was described as one of the best-known agriculturists in Monmouthshire and past president of the Monmouth Chamber of Agriculture.
A follow up article in the Western Mail reported on the wedding day and included a photograph of the wedding party. Ray Skinner was best man, Margaret Skinner a bridesmaid, and niece Rosemary Skinner the flower girl. Due to illness Catherine was given away by her uncle Fred Phillips instead of her father. The reception was held at Cwm Farm.
Catherine had grown up at Cwm Farm in Rogerstone and at the time of her wedding was living there with her widowed father John and older brother John known as ‘Gus’. Catherine’s father would almost certainly have known Donald’s late-father James, as both were prominent in the farming community.
The newlyweds began their married life at Abernant Farm and had two daughters. Mary was born in 1934, followed by Janet who was born at Rock Farm (home of Ralph and Edith Skinner) in 1937. It appears that Abernant started to struggle in the mid-1930s and output dropped. Donald spent two years in paid employment on land near Clomendy Wood in Caerleon and Ray started to focus on his butcher shop in Newport. Despite this there is evidence of work continuing at Abernant with Catherine advertising for a milkmaid and some stock being sold.
The 1939 Register recorded Donald as Master Farmer at Abernant Farm and Ray as the Butcher. They were assisted by Cowman Charles Duffield, the son of Lewis, who had been a Wagoner on the farm during the time of John and James Skinner. The operation was considerably smaller in scale and Donald was starting to suffer from ill health. Within a year of the census Donald called a halt and the tenancy was surrendered, this ended more than 80 years of the Skinner family at Abernant Farm.
There are no address records during WWII, but anecdotal evidence suggests the family spent some time living with brother Ralph Skinner at Rock Farm in Penhow whilst they looked for a new home. The Electoral Register of 1945 shows that Donald and Catherine had moved to Langstone and bought Langstone Villa. The large semi-detached property was just a few miles from Abernant and they lived there with Mary and Janet.
Donald was now semi-retired but continued to work on his smallholding in Langstone. Catherine worked full time for Unigate Dairies and operated the milk round for the local area. She ran the business from the family home and is still remembered by local people as Mrs Skinner of Langstone Dairy. Her family recall her getting up at 4am to do the round, and she continued working long hours into her late 70s. Catherine only retired aged 80 after her eyesight failed.
A rare aerial photo of Langstone from the late 1960’s shows Langstone Villa with a single story addition. Catherine used this building to run her milk round and the yard next to it was used for parking the milk floats.
When their daughter Janet married Bernard in 1964, they purchased the property next door, Langstone Cottage, for them to live in. Away from work Catherine was passionate about gardening and worked hard on the garden at Langstone Villa.
Donald Skinner was confined to bed in his later years and passed away in 1973 aged 73. His granddaughter Cathy recalls how he missed working the land dreadfully and also how devoted he was to his wife Catherine. Another memory is of Donald tapping on the floor with his stick when he was ready to read the grandchildren a story, with ‘The Borrowers’ being a favourite. All who knew him recall Donald as a kind man.
Catherine died in 1995 at a nursing home in Newport, aged 87 and left a substantial estate for her daughters. Donald and Catherine are remembered together on a plaque at Langstone Church, just a short walk from their home in Langstone.
If you have memories of Donald or Catherine please get in touch: [email protected]