Story

Ernest was born in Crouch End, the son of Thomas and Sarah Margaret. He was baptised at St George’s Church, Tufnell Park on 10th September 1880. His father became Sir Thomas Skinner in 1912. His mother Sarah died in 1902. Ernest was sent to school in Preston, Brighton and trained to be a civil engineer. On 3rd September 1903, Ernest married Leonie Mercedes Doll (born in Chelsea in 1880) at Lancing. Their daughter Jacqueline Leonie Eva was born on 26th May 1914. On 27th August of that year, Ernest joined the Dragoons of the Line Regiment (later 4th Dragoon Guards) . He fought in France and was wounded twice, once receiving a head wound which later affected his moods. He also suffered from shell shock and was invalided out of the army on 12th March 1916. By this time, Ernest had separated from Leonie and on returning home, lived in Southend at 52 High Street. Ernest died on 9th March 1919. He was killed falling in front of a train at Blackfriars Station. The inquest returned a verdict of “suicide whilst insane”. Ernest was buried in his mother’s grave. No probate.

For details of the inquest, please see the obituary column.

Researcher: Carol Sullivan

Date of Death: 9/3/1919

Cause of death: Shock. Multiple Injuries. Unsound mind.

Address line 1: 52

Address line 2: High Street

Town: Southend-on-Sea

County: Essex

Country: England

Obituary

People’s Journal 15th March 1919

“Awful Fate of Baronet’s Soldier Son”

Agonising screams of horror rang out in the London District Railway Station Blackfriars as a young man was seen to fall in front of an electric train proceeding in the direction of the Mansion House. Men and women stood aghast as they watched the body of the victim dragged for a considerable distance, while the drive vainly endeavoured to bring the train to a standstill. For half an hour all traffic was suspended and the station cleared of passengers. Efforts were then made to extricate the remains of the unfortunate victim, who was subsequently identified as Corporal Ernest Skinner, the son of Sir Thomas Skinner, a director of the Canadian Pacific Railway, residing at Pont Street, London. “My God, he’s killed”. These words were the first intimation of the shocking occurrence and they fell from the lips of Mrs Smith of Southend, with whom Corporal Skinner had been spending a short holiday. Mrs Smith and her daughter afterwards gave a vivid account of what happened. Skinner, a high-spirited, happy young man was a corporal in the 3rd Dragoons and had been severely wounded on two occasions, once by shrapnel in his head. Corporal Skinner’s friends declare that, with the exception of this wound, he enjoyed generally good health and was looking forward to a pleasant holiday on the coast during the summer months. ” I am tremendously pained over this awful tragedy” said Mrs Smith “and it has completely unnerved me. It all took place suddenly-like a flash- that I hardly realised what was going on. I remember shouting out, my God he’s killed as I saw Mr Skinner fall from the platform right in front of the incoming train. The sight made me sick, and I turned away with my daughter, horrified and overcome. We had been chatting together on the platform and Mr Skinner seemed quite his usual self. He certainly did not seem worried and we had no warning of any kind to lead us to suppose he premeditated anything in the way of taking his own life. It must have been an accident, though at present I cannot throw the slightest light on the occurrence. I knew Mr Skinner suffered from the effects of shell shock, for he had been in France for a long time and on one occasion was badly wounded by shrapnel which lodged in his head. At intervals while staying with me and my husband at Southend, he showed signs of eccentricity, not unusual for a soldier who had seen a lot of terrible fighting and was himself injured. The strain of his experiences may have told on his constitution and perhaps weakened his brain. We had only come up from Southend in the morning to visit some people at Kew Gardens. I was joined later in the day by Mr Skinner and my daughter, who journeyed by an afternoon train to meet me. All three of us had a merry little dinner and then boarded a train at Hammersmith Station. When the train reached Charing Cross, Mr Skinner expressed a wish to get out but after a little persuasion he remained in our compartment till we came to the Mansion House. We then got out to transfer to the Southend train, but by a most unhappy mistake we jumped into a train going westward towards Victoria. At Blackfriars station, we realised our error and got out. Mr Skinner suggested going on to Charing Cross but we advised him not to do this. A few moments later we crossed to the opposite platform  and waited for the Southend train. I was chatting to my daughter and Mr Skinner was a few yards away from us. Suddenly there was a cry and turning round I noticed Mr Skinner was missing. At the same moment the train dashed by and catching hold of my daughter’s arm I screamed. My breath was taken away and I was on the verge of collapse. Porters and others came rushing up and tried to rescue Mr Skinner’s body from the metals but did not succeed for some time. There were shocking injuries about his head and he must have been killed instantaneously. ”

Also at the inquest, Ernest’s wife gave details of his drinking and mood swings ” saying “he was not a temperate person”

Personal Effects

Money left to others: No value recorded

Current value of effects: Not calculated

1881

Avenue House, Avenue Road, Hornsey

Thomas aged 41, journalist. Sarah M aged 35. Thomas H aged 5. Ernest aged 7mos.

1891

2 Florence Road, Preston, Brighton.

Ernest aged 10, pupil in school run by sisters Annie & Florence Norman.

1901

95 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Warwickshire

Ernest aged 20, boarder, civil engineer.

1911

87 Oxford Street, London.

Ernest aged 30, commercial traveller. (Leonie was living at 4 Leonard Place, Kensington).