Pte 50634 Thomas Skirrow

• Age: 32
• From: Lancaster
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• Died Saturday 22nd June 1918
• Commemorated at: Cronenburg French Nat Cem Strasbourg
  Panel Ref: Allied 3.120

Thomas Skirrow was born on 17^th June 1886, the son of William Skirrow and his wife Margaret Jane (nee Lamb) who married in Lancaster in 1878.  Thomas was the fifth of seven children, and the youngest son. He had three brothers, John, James, and William, and three sisters, Rose Ann, Sarah, and the youngest, Nellie, who died in infancy.  

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 50 Aldcliffe Road, Lancaster. His father, William, is a 30 year old painter's labourer who was born in Lancaster, his mother, Margaret Jane is also 30 years of age and was born in Garstang, Lancashire. Thomas is 4 years of age and has four siblings; John aged 12, James is 10, Rose A. is 7, all of the children are scholars. Sarah aged 2. 

His mother died in 1892 at the age of 32, leaving William with six children.

In 1901 Thomas, with siblings John, James, and Sarah, is living with his maternal grandmother, Rose Lamb, a 75 year old widow, at 36 Aldcliffe Road, Lancaster. Thomas, 14, is a painter’s labourer, as are his brothers; Thomas, aged 22 and James aged 21 and Sarah aged 12.    

In 1911 Thomas, 24, and his brother John, 31, both paintshop labourers, are living with his aunt and uncle, George and Mary Nixon, and their four children, at 15 Springfield Street, Lancaster. Their children are listed as; Rose Ann aged 17 and employed as a polisher in a laundry, Jane is a 13 year old cotton weaver, John is 11 and Grace is 7.  

He was educated at St Thomas' school, and employed at White Cross Mills. He played cricket for Storey's and Captain of the PSA cricket eleven, and a member of the PSA Committee.

He was the husband of Minnie Nettleton (nee Hill), of 10, Dunkeld Street, Moorlands, Lancaster and they had married on 17th April 1911 at Lancaster at the Baptist Chapel in Morecambe. Their son, Edward, was born in 1915.

He enlisted in Lancaster and was formerly 34549, Royal Lancaster Regiment and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50634. He was reported missing from 23rd March 1918  and was held as a P.O.W. at Oberhofen POW camp, northeast of Strasbourg. Thomas died of pneumonia at Fortress Hospital, Strasbourg (then in Germany, now in France) on the 22nd June 1918, aged 32.  

Thomas' death was reported in the Lancaster Guardian on 13th April 1918

SKIRROW - Tom, Pte, King's Liverpool Regiment, missing 23rd March 1918, age 30. His wife resides at 10 Dunkeld Street, Lancaster. He was educated at St Thomas' school ,and employed at White Cross Mills. He played cricket for Storey's, and was Captain of the PSA cricket eleven, and a member of the PSA Committee.

[PSA - A men only brotherhood of Lancaster Congregational Church. The initials stood for Pleasant Sunday Afternoon.]

Thomas now lies in Cronenbourg Military Cemetery, Strasbourg, France. The only Liverpool Pal buried in the Cemetery. The inscription on his headstone reads:

“UNTIL THE DAY DAWNS AND SHADOWS FLEE AWAY” 

Cronenbourg Cemetery was used during the First World War for French and Allied burials (including eight British casualties but mostly Russian and Romanian soldiers). Further graves were added later. 

There are now 15, First World War and over 10, Second World War casualties commemorated in this site. There is a special memorial to one British soldier from the First World War, whose grave cannot be located.

His son, Edward, was two years old when he died. His widow Minnie was notified of his death on 30^th December 1918.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his widow Minnie

His son Edward served in the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment in World War Two, and died in Italy on 30^th July 1944.  He was 28. He now rests at Caserta War Cemetery (north of Naples).

Minnie never remarried. Having lost her husband in WW1 and her son in WW2, she died in 1975 in Lancaster, at the age of 90.

We currently have no further information on Thomas Skirrow, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.