Rosa Kate Skinner (Watkins)
Skinner family Matriarch
Rosa Kate Skinner (née Watkins) was our great-grandmother. She was born in 1867 at Pye Corner Farm in Nash, near Newport. Rosa was the seventh child born to William and Ann Watkins. Her father, William Watkins, had grown up in Llandegveth with his family before later moving to Whitson. In 1854, at the age of 30, William married Ann Baker, the daughter of a successful farmer from Goldcliff and a member of the prominent Baker farming family. Ann had lost her parents at a young age and, by the time she met William, was caring for her younger siblings.
Following their marriage, William and Ann settled at Pye Corner Farm, a substantial holding in Nash which they were able to purchase. William became a prominent figure in the local community. He achieved considerable success as a farmer and stood unopposed when elected as a local councillor. He also served as a parish overseer – a role that involved organising the collection of local taxes and ensuring that parish rules and regulations were properly observed
Rosa grew up in a large family and was the seventh of nine children born to William and Ann. With so many children to care for, the older siblings naturally helped their mother in looking after the younger ones, creating a close and supportive household. Rosa and her brothers and sisters attended the local Baptist chapel and all went to school in Nash, where they received a good education. From surviving family accounts, it appears to have been a happy upbringing in a home where entertainment and recreation were encouraged and enjoyed.
Rosa spent the first 27 years of her life at Pye Corner Farm. During this time, two of her brothers – Fred and Herbert – emigrated to Australia. Her siblings Matilda and William married and left the family home, while her sister Selina sadly died at the age of 17. These changes left Rosa at home with Eliza, George, and Myra, and the four siblings remained particularly close throughout their lives.
In 1894, Rosa married James Skinner of Kemeys Inferior and moved to his home at Abernant Farm. The substantial farm stood on Bulmore Road, about four miles from Caerleon. The Skinners were another successful farming family, and James was in the process of succeeding his father, John, as tenant of Abernant Farm.
The year after Rosa left Pye Corner Farm, her mother Ann died. Her father subsequently sold the family farm and moved to Maindee in Newport. Her younger sister Myra, who had still been living at home at the time of the sale, went to live with Rosa at Abernant, where she remained until her death in 1910. Myra and Rosa were not the only members of the family to settle in the area. Their brother George took on Draenllwyn Farm on the Old Roman Road, becoming a near neighbour to his two sisters.
James and Rosa had seven children: Wallace (1895), Ralph (1896), Jessie (1898), Donald (1899), Reg (1901), Ray (1903), and Margaret (1909). Myra was a great help to Rosa and played an important role in raising the young children. Life at Abernant was a happy one. The children played in the fields and rode horses, while James and Rosa enjoyed considerable success with the farm. Rosa had inherited money from the estates of her father and siblings, and together they were able to purchase additional property, including a farm at Newchurch West and land at Goldcliff.
The years of the First World War were a challenging time for most farming families. Young men left to serve, horses were requisitioned for military use, and prices rose dramatically. At Abernant, Rosa’s two eldest sons, Wallace and Ralph, were drafted into the army, causing great anxiety for their parents and leaving a significant void in the farm workforce. Rosa had much to contend with during this period, as James suffered from asthma and bronchitis and was at times confined to bed for several months. Despite these difficulties, she managed the challenges with resilience, and her younger sons stepped forward to help with the farm work. Under her stewardship, Abernant continued to flourish.
We know that education and strong values were of prime importance in the Skinner household. The children made the long daily walk to Caerleon Endowed School, with two of them being recognised for their excellent attendance records. All seven of Rosa and James’s children went on to achieve a great deal in life and travelled extensively. Wallace, Ralph, Donald, and Reg followed the family tradition, becoming successful farmers and raising their own families in Monmouthshire.
Jessie went on to study at Oxford University, where she gained a degree and later became a teacher. In retirement, she moved to Jersey with her husband. Raymond established himself as a successful butcher in Newport, while the youngest child, Margaret, trained as a nurse before emigrating to South Africa, where she married a farmer and had a son.
James died in 1927 at the age of 64, leaving his estate to Rosa and their children. He was buried at his beloved All Saints’ Church, where he had served as churchwarden. His death was followed a year later by that of Rosa’s eldest sister, Eliza, who had spent her final days at Abernant Farm. Rosa remained at Abernant for a few more years, until her youngest child, Margaret, left for London to train as a nurse. With her son Donald and his new wife, Catherine, ready to take over the running of the farm, Rosa retired from active farm management but retained her passion for gardening.
She left Abernant to live with her son Wallace and daughter-in-law Edith at Hendrew Farm. Even in retirement, Rosa remained active within the community and served as a school governor at Christchurch School. She devoted much of her time to her many grandchildren and was a regular visitor to nearby Rock Farm, the home of her son Ralph and his wife Edith. It was at The Rock that Rosa died in 1941, aged 74. In her obituary, she was described as “one of the best known and respected personalities in agricultural circles” – a fitting tribute to a woman whose life had been deeply rooted in family, community, and farming.
In her later years, Rosa suffered from heart problems and diabetes. Her death was reported by her son Ralph. She left a sizeable estate, including land at Goldcliff and Newchurch West. Rosa was survived by two of her siblings: Herbert, who died three months later in Australia, and George, who lived until 1954.
Rosa was originally buried alongside James at All Saints’ Church. However, in the 1960s the church was demolished to make way for a new road. Their remains were subsequently reinterred in 1970 at St Andrew’s Church, Tredunnock, where they rest together today.
If you can add to the story of Rosa and her family, please contact: research@skinnerfamilyhistory.com