chronology

1832, Mar 17
Joseph Skipsey born in Percy Main, eighth child of Cuthbert and Isabella Skipsey

1832, Jul 8
Cuthbert Skipsey killed by George Weddell, a special constable, during a dispute in Chirton relating to a miners' strike  at Burdon main Colliery

1832, Jul 10
Inquest on Cuthbert Skipsey at the Rose Inn, Willington. A verdict of manslaughter was returned.

1832, Aug
Trial of George Weddell, who was convicted of the manslaughter of Cuthbert Skipsey and sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment

Percy Main Pit, 1844

1839 (appr)
Joseph Skipsey began work in Percy Main pit, initially as a "trapper", opening and closing the ventilation doors

1841 census
Joseph Skipsey (9) living with his mother, Isabella (40 or 46?), sister Hannah (26?) and older brother James (11). Both boys' occupation is listed as 'coalminer'.

1840s An uncle lent 15-year-old Joseph some books, including Lindley Murray's Grammar.

1849/50 Skipsey, aged 17, bought a copy of Shakespeare's plays. he said later: 'The book altered the aspect of the world to me'.

1851 census Joseph (19) living with his mother, Isabella (51?), in Percy Main, his occupation given as 'coalminer'.

1852 Skipsey travelled to London, walking most of the way, and found employment at the works connected to a London station. He met Sarah Ann Fendley, later to become his wife.

1850s Joseph and Sarah travelled to Coatbridge, where he worked as a miner, then to Pemberton Collieries (Monkwearmouth, near Sunderland) before returning to Northumberland.

1855, Jan 12 Birth of their first son, Cuthbert (1855-68) in Chirton.

1857, Jun 3 Birth of their second son, WIlliam (1857-60)

1858, Sep 17 Newcastle Courant carried a review of  'Lyrics, by J.S., a coal miner' This is probably his first published work, though no copy of the first edition has survived.

1859, Jan 28 Newcastle Courant report of a Burns Night celebration at which, on the instigation of James Clephan (editor of the Gateshead Observer), it was agreed to purchase Skipsey's book of poems and send a copy to each of the Mechanics' Institutes in the North.

1859 Lyrics, by Joseph Skipsey, 2nd edition, published by Thomas Pigg & Co, Clayton Street, Newcastle. (Copies no in Newcastle City Library)

1859 Through the offices of James Clephan, Skipsey took up employment as an under-store-keeper at the ironworks of Hawks, Crawshay & Co, Gateshead, where he stayed for over 4 years.

1860, Jan 20 Birth of their first daughter Elizabeth Ann Pringle Skipsey (known as Lizzie) at Bedlington

1860, Sept 7 William Skipsey, aged 3, was run over and killed by a train of runaway wagons on the Tyne Main Wagonway in Gateshead.

1860 Fifteen of Skipsey's poems included in A Poetical Souvenir, a national collection of work by contemporary poets, published by Groombridge & Co, Paternoster Row, London EC.

1861 census Skipsey family (Joseph, Sarah, Cuthbert and Lizzie) living at 3, Hawks Cottages, Gateshead.

1862, Jan 16 Hartley Colliery disaster, 204 men and boys suffocated in the pit. Skipsey wrote his poem 'The Hartley Calamity' which he read at public meetings held to raise funds for the bereaved families.

New Hartley Colliery, 1862

Funeral procession

Burial at Earsdon Church

1862, Apr 27 Birth of their second daughter, Harriet (1862-8)

1862 Publication of Skipsey's Poems, Songs and Ballads by Hamilton & Co, Newcastle

1863 Skipsey's friends secured him the job of assistant librarian at the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society. The pay was not good (and he was more interested in reading the books than being a librarian!) and he soon returned to the pits.

1864 Publication of Skipsey's The Collier Lad and other Songs and Ballads by J G Forster, Clayton Street, Newcastle.

1865, Aug 3 Birth of James Clephan Skipsey, their 5th child, names after Skipsey's earlier benefactor. he survived only a few months, dying from a severe cold in January, 1866.

1867, Jan 24 Birth of Emma Skipsey, their 6th child (died the following year).

1868, Oct Three of the children died from scarlatina (scarlet fever): Cuthbert (on October 10, aged 13), Emma (on October 24, aged 21 months) and Harriet (on October 30, aged 6). The Skipseys were left with only one child, Lizzie, aged 8.

1868, Dec 28 Joseph and Sarah married in the parish church at Tynemouth. (In his biography, Spence Watson states that they married in 1854,  but the records from the church in Tynemouth clearly show the date given here.)

1869 Birth of Joseph Skipsey (jnr) (1869-1943), their seventh child, in Newsham.

1871 census Joseph and Sarah Skipsey living at North Newsham with their children Elizabeth (11) and Joseph (1) and  boarder, John Hagan (22), a miner.

1872, Jun 14 Birth of Cuthbert Skipsey (1872-1938), their eighth and last child, in Cowpen.

1878 Publication of A Book of Miscellaneous Lyrics, printed by George Richardson, Bedlington. This is a major collection of 48 poems, dedicated to Robert Spence Watson, and includes a short autobiographical introduction, written by Skipsey at Backworth, August 1878.

1878, Oct 29 Dante Gabriel Rossetti wrote to Skipsey (addressed to 20 Percy Street, Backworth) complimenting him on his poetry.

1878, Nov 16 A Book of Miscellaneous Lyrics was reviewed in the Athenaeum by Theodore Watts, at the instigation of Rossetti.

1879, Aug 25 Birth of Ralph Harrison, their first grandchild, to Lizzie and John Harrison at West Holywell, Backworth.

Thomas Dixon

1880
Skipsey went to London with Thomas Dixon, who introduced him to Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and others. Dixon died shortly after the visit, on July 11.

1880, Oct 5
Letter from E W Hamilton to inform Skipsey that "Mr Gladstone has directed that an annuity of £10 should be paid to you out of the Royal Charity Fund, as from May 1st last". The annuity was awarded following a recommendation from Burne-Jones.

1881 census
Joseph and Sarah Skipsey living at 20 Northumberland Terrace, Backworth, with their children Joseph (11), Cuthbert (8) and a grandniece, Jane Graham (6).

1881
Publication of A Book of Lyrics, Songs, Ballads and Chants, New Edition, revised, by David Bogue, London.

The 'Lit & Phil' Newcastle

1882
Joseph and Sarah became joint caretakers at the Mill Lane Board School (also known as the Bentinck School) in Elswick, Newcastle.

1883, Feb 6
Skipsey was elected an honorary member of the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society. Later in the year, he delivered a lecture to the society entitled The Poet as Seer.

1884
Skipsey edited and wrote introductions for several volumes of the Canterbury Poets series, published by Walter Scott, Newcastle. Skipsey's volumes are those on Blake (June), Coleridge (July), Shelley (August), Poe (October) and Burns (April 1885).

1886, Jan Skipsey received a donation from the Royal Bounty of £50. His annuity was raised to £25 a year.

1886 Willie Reay published his Poems and Lyrics, dedicated to Skipsey.

1886 Carols from the Coalfields published by Walter Scott, Newcastle. It was reviewed in the Pall Mall Gazette by Oscar Wilde in Feb 1887.

1888 Publication of Carols, Songs and Ballads. This is a revised edition of Carols from the Coalfields.

1888 Three of Skipsey's poems included in an anthology North-country Poets by William Andrews, Hull.

1888, Sep Skipsey took up a new post as porter in Durham College of Science, Newcastle but, as Spence Watson described it, "this too proved clearly not the place for him...... it was quite impossible to have a college where the scientific men came to see the Principal and the artistic and literary men came to see the porter".

1889, May The Skipseys applied to be custodians of Shakespeare's Birthplace. The application was supported by Browning, Tennyson, Swinburne, D G Rossetti, William Morris, Oscar Wilde and many others. They were appointed and took up the post in July.

1891 census showing Joseph & Sarah Skipsey living at 17, Henley Street, Stratford with Lucy Preston (17), a domestic servant.

243 Eastbourne Ave

1891, Oct 31
Skipsey resigned from his post as custodian, officially pleading illness but also somewhat disillusioned by the nature of the job.

1892
Publication of Songs and Lyrics.

1901 census
Joseph and Sarah Skipsey living at 243 Eastbourne Avenue, Gateshead, with their son Joseph (31). Joseph snr is described as 'living on own means'. Joseph jnr was an accountant in a shipping office.

1902, Aug 8
Death of Sarah Skipsey, aged 73.

Kells Gardens, home of CUthbert Skipsey

1902, Oct 21
Birth of Violet Skipsey, daughter of Joseph & Sarah's son, Cuthbert.

1903, Sep 3
Death of Joseph Skipsey, aged 71, at 5, Kells Gardens, Low Fell, Gateshead, the home of his son, Cuthbert.

Percy Main Pit, 1844

Hartley Pit, 1862

Newcastle Lit & Phil

Thomas Dixon

The Bentinck Schools