Family History

 
ELEVENTH GENERATION

SKILDERS of Canvey Island and surrounds.

The parents of Laurence. The relationships between the persons mentioned below is not know at this stage, i.e. are brothers, cousins, uncles, fathers.

Skelder/Skilder/Schilder is a Dutch name. The Canvey Dutch came over to work on the draining and containment of the Thames and the Essex marshes particuarly around Canvey Island. To quote from the the book 'Canvey Island' by Geoff Barsby :- "In the middle ages a malarial marshland was won back from the sea by the enterprise of the Cavalier, Sir Henry Appleton, with financial and engineering backing of the Dutchman, Joas Croppenburg. Dutchmen stayed as farmers and were an important element in the first real community".

Of interest is that a farm on Canvey Island named Westwick was in the hands of Laurence Skilder's daughter Mary. This farm was originally owned by Croppenburg.

Skilders pre 1700 whose exact relatiuonships to each cannot be established at this time.

  Laurence SKILDER.

  George SKILDER. Possibly the same as 'Joores' or Joris which is the Dutch equivelant of George. 

3 August 1674 - Calendar of Essex Assize File [Ass 35/115/3] Assizes held at Chelmsford -

Indictment of John Bulson, Philip James Stephen Wall, Thomas Clarke and Reginald alias Reineer Peterson, all of Fobbing labourers, 26 April 26 Charles II, there about 3 a.m. broke into the house of George Skilder and stole five gold rings worth 40s., two silver bodkins worth 6s., a Charles II 20s. Piece " of guinney gold" and £20 in money, belonging to Peter Vanryninge. Plead not guilty; guilty, to be hanged except Wall, who was acquitted. Witnesses: George Skilder, Mary Amplett, John Corington, Sara Skildar, Peter Vanryninge, Thomas Browne, John Arnold. [See also Nos. 3 and 13.] [ERO - Ass 35/115/3/12] [ERO - T/A 418/178/12]

   Jacob SKILDER.

Session Rolls - Midsummer 1697
10 July 1697 - Recognizance of Jacob Skilder of North Benflect cordwainer, Richard Greenaway of "Seachurch" (Southchurch) and John Waltere of North Banflect yeomen; Skilder to answer John Bunover for going out of his own fishery into Dunover's and taking away several of his fish and eels. [ERO - Q/SR 493/5]

Session Rolls - Midsummer 1697
Indictments of Jacob Skilder of North Benflect shoemaker, from 1 March to 18 June, "did fish" unlawfully and without licence in "the fishing" of John Donnover called "Thorne Creeke" in the several Parishes of North Benflect, Prittlewell and Venge, and took and carried away several quantities of "eolee" worth £5 belonging to Donnover. Witnesses: Donnover, John Fassare. Confesses; fined3s.4. [ERO - Q/SR 493/74]

 John SKILDER. Possibly also Jonas.

A church paper dated 2 Sep 1655 included amongst the signatories Jan de Schildere. [Records of the Dutch Chapel on Canvey Island and the synod preserved at the Austin Friars Dutch Church in London]

It would appear from baptisms in the Bowers Gifford Register from 1666-1679 that John's wife was Mary. A Mary Skelder was a beneficiary in the will of her brother Mathew Van Rayning in 1677. It would appear then that John Skilder married Mary Van Rayning.

John Skilder is also a beneficiary in the will of William Cherry (William Cherrie) in 1679, where John is described by Cherry as his "Master". In the burial register of Bowers Gifford in 1685, John's son Lawrence is buried with the notation "late of Bowers Hall". 

Session Rolls - Epiphany 1698
6 Oct 1697 - Recognizance of Joseph Evans of Canvey island (insula de Canvy), John Smager, John Skilder, Peter Bell and Noses Eliame; Evans to answer the overseers of South Benfleet for getting Mary Wapoole with child of a bastard. [ERO - Q/SR 495/18]

A Jonas Skilder was buried on 16 Sep 1697 in Bowers Gifford, Essex. Jonas Skilder left a will naming Catherine as his wife.

  Joores SKILDER. Possibly the same person as George? In 1684 a Joores de Schilder was an elder of the Dutch Church on Canvey Island at the London meeting.

  Sarah SKILDER. Possibly the wife of George as mentioned in the same Assize File in 1674 (see George above).

Session Rolls - Michaelmas 1688
19 July 1688 - Recognizance of Rich.Upton of Fobbing blacksmith and John Godfrey of "Grayes Thorock" (occupation not given); both to prosecutes Sarah Skilder widow and John Jones for stealing and carrying away "one hundred of Ostery fagetts" from the wharf of the said Upton, being Godfery's goods. Ignoramous. (see 41,80.) [ERO - Q/SR 460/6]
19 July 1688 - Recognizance of Sarah Skilder of Laindon widow, Anth.Lodwick of Fobbing and Tho. Hayes of Little Warley yeomen; Skilder to answer Upton and Godfrey (as in 6). [ERO - Q/SR 460/41]
Note - Laindon may refer to those properties on Canvey Island designated to the Parish of Laindon.