SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND IN HISTORY

Thank you so much for your wonderful online history of Skelton-in-Cleveland. My ancestors lived there until 1683, when they emigrated to America to escape religious persecution (they were Quakers). My 11th great-grandfather, John Hoopes (1542-1608) was a resident of Skelton-in-Cleveland and is reportedly buried in a churchyard there. I have never visited Yorkshire, but hope to bring my family there on holiday. I am wondering if you could recommend someone who might help me to track down information on an early Hoopes family homestead. I've found a reference to a family farm house, reportedly built in 1160, from which on a clear day one can see the North Sea. It is said to have once housed several generations of my ancestors. The house is said to be 2.5 miles North of Moorsholm, off the Guisborough Road, and 5 miles from Skelton, sitting back from the road on a hill. It is currently occupied by John and Stephanie Powers, but I do not have a mailing address or phone number for them. I imagine it must be one of the older houses in the area. Any assistance you could suggest would be greatly appreciated! Many thanks, John Hoopes. Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Dear Sir, Can I congratulate you on an excellent site. I have been reading it all day. I live now in Stoke on Trent and come originally from Normanby. My ancesters were all ironstone miners who worked in various pits, Normanby, Eston, Skelton and Liverton mines. I scanned your site in the hope of finding some mention of an accident which killed my great grandfather WILLIAM BARKER on 1st March 1910. He was aged 59 at the time and was a deputy at one of the local pits. He apparently was killed when he fell into a quarry. I have a feeling that this ocurred in either Skelton/Boosbeck or Liverton Mines. Do you have any information on such an ocurrence or if not can you tell me where I might find any details on it? Thanking you in advance. ERIC S BARKER.

Wreckage of the Samtampa.

On 23rd April 1947, the master, Neale Sherwell, of the 7, 219 ton Liberty Steamship "Samtampa," found himself unable to proceed to Newport in the face of a 70-mile-an-hour gale and made the decision to hove-to in the Bristol Channel to await better weather. The cables, however, were unable to hold the ship in such adverse conditions, and tragically the vessel broke up into three sections in just 80 minutes on Sker Rocks, near Porthcawl, in what was described by witnesses as a "seething cauldron of fury." The Samtampa’s lighter bow and stern sections were thrown up onto a rock plateau 25 feet above the beach, with the mid section containing the engine room remaining on the beach where it was battered against the rocks. Her crew of 39 were all lost. In addition to this, the Mumbles Lifeboat, "Edward, Prince of Wales," which had been sent to assist the stricken ship, was found the following morning upturned at Sker point near the wrecked ship."

Her crew of 8 were drowned. H Lees, age 24 of High St, Skelton was an engineer on the Samtampa. [From local enquiries the address is likely near 161 High St.] 9th Sept 2005. Hi Folks,need help, On the 23rd of April 1947 a young chap called Herbert Lees lost his life on a ship called the SS SAMTAMPA. He left a wife and daughters. His brother, Brian, now living in Canada is seeking to find them. The Merchant Navy records show his last address as 16 High St, Skelton. Sincerely yours Austin. A.H.BUTLER. For more details about the loss of the Samptampa:- Click here.