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Convict. Born circa 1827. Transported to Norfolk Island in 1846 for "Shooting with intent to kill - was out Poaching, and fired, but it was at a pheasant." Skyrme had previously been acquitted on charge of robbery. He was a farm labourer, from near Hereford. He stated that his father's name was William, and that he had a brother Thomas and sister Sarah.1
Skyrme was tried at the Hereford Assizes on 30th March 1846 and sentenced to transportation. Arrived on Norfolk Island per John Calvin on 21st September 1846. Skyrme was charged on 17th May 1847 with being absent without leave, and was sentenced to hard labour in chains for three months. In June 1847 Skyrme was transferred to Van Diemen's Land per Tory.
In Van Diemen's Land, Skyrme committed several offences at Hobart, Oatlands and finally Richmond. On 31st October 1851 Skyrme was charged with absconding from custody, and his sentence of transportation was extended eighteen months. He was recommended to be sent to Norfolk Island, where he duly arrived on 9th March 1852.
Throughout 1852, 1853 and 1854 he committed a number of offences, ranging from "disobedience" (two months hard labour), "Having tobacco improperly" (four days solitary confinement) to "Conniving at a Government tarpaulin being cut and carried away" (six months hard labour). He committed some eleven offences during this second visit to Norfolk Island.
By 28th September 1855 Skyrme was at Oatlands, where he was sentenced to 48 hours in solitary confinement for "absence". He was awarded his Ticket of Leave on 4th December 1855. Although his Ticket of Leave was briefly revoked in 1856 for being absent, the only other offence committed by Skyrme was being drunk at Richmond in August 1857. He was fined £1. He was recommended for a conditional pardon on 20th October 1857, and it was approved on 1st June 1858.2
Married Mary Ann Duckworth in 1866 in Green Ponds. Had eleven or twelve children, including the following: un-named female (b. 1869), Herbert George (b. 1871), Mary Ann (b. 1875), Alice Ellen (b. 1878), Edward Thomas (b. 1881), Olive Louisa (b. 1883), Clara (b. 1887) and Sylvia Rubinea May (b. 1890). Skyrme was living at Forest Bottom near Jerusalem in 1870.
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1 AOT CON 14/37 p.160.
2 AOT CON 33/88.
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