Lily Skelt lays in an unmarked grave, the wife of a former Minister of Fagley URC, the Rev. Stanley Skelt. Lily Skelt nee Steel was born in Jarrow in 1882, the daughter of William and Josephine Steel. Stanley William Perry Skelt, to give him his full name, was born in Norwich in 1882, the son of James and Margaret Skelt. The family moved to South Shields in the late 1890’s. James was employed as a marine fitter and young Stanley became an apprentice marine draughtsman. Within ten years, Stanley’s life had taken a new direction, and he had become a minister of the church. It was in 1910 that he married Lily Steel and 4 years later their only child, also named Lily, was born.
In 1922 he was invited to preach at Fagley URC and soon afterwards he was offered the position of Minister. The family moved to Fagley, but their time was cut short, with the death of Lily in 1926 at the age of 44 years. She was laid to rest in Chapel Street Cemetery.
After her death, Stanley and his daughter returned to the North East and he continued with his ministerial duties. He remarried 2 years later to Margaret Steel – Lily’s younger sister. Daughter Lily grew up in the North East and became an art teacher. At the beginning of WW2, Lily accepted a post at the Central School for boys in Crayford, Kent. She was tragically killed in the early hours of 20th December 1944 as a result of a V2 rocket strike on the school. She was buried in Harton Cemetery, South Shields.
Stanley continued with his pastoral work and died in 1968, aged 86.
Location: Section 5 T22