James Henry Skipsey is the 1st on the right of the seven boys sitting in the photograph of the scout troop.
He was born on 15 February 1900 in Walworth, the eldest of the thirteen children of James Henry Skipsey (1878-1937) and Annie Eliza Skipsey née Harman (1883-1951). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1900 in the St Saviour registration district. On 11 March 1900 he was baptised in St John the Evangelist Church, Walworth, where the baptismal register not only confirms his date of birth but informs that the family were living at 67 Trafalgar Street, Walworth and that his father was a bricklayer.
In the 1901 census he is shown as living in one room at 67 Trafalgar Street, Walworth, with his parents and his father is still shown as a bricklayer.
When his father completed the 1911 census return form he is show as a schoolboy, now living in three rooms at 67 Trafalgar Street, Walworth, with his parents and four siblings (four others had died): Mary Ann Skipsey (1903-1999), Charles Skipsey (1905-1932), Elizabeth Skipsey (1907-1911) and Annie Lilian Skipsey (1908-1992). His father continued to describe himself as a bricklayer. His parent went on to have four more children.
As a boy scout in the 2nd Walworth Troop, he drowned, aged 12 years, on 4 August 1912 in the tragedy at Leysdown on 4 August 1914 and was buried on 10 August 1912 in the War Graves Plot, Square 52, in Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, London, SE15 3LP. His death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1912 in the Sheppey registration district, Kent.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.
