THE CHIRME FAMILY
OF SHROPSHIRE




Martha Cherme was born in about 1691. She married Thomas Tudor of High Ercall 14 April 1714 in Upton Magna, Shropshire. They had a son, Thomas, born in High Ercall, Shropshire, then four daughters, Martha, Anne, Mary, and Ezabell, born in Rodington, Shropshire. Martha died and was buried 9 September 1761 in Rodington.


No christening record has been found for Martha Cherme, but the Cherme/Chirme name is found in the adjoining parishes of High Ercall and Wellington near Upton Magna. There are two good possibilities for Martha's parents, one in High Ercall, and one in Wellington. The first is the family of Richard Chirme in Wellington, and the other is the family of John Chirme in High Ercall.


Richard Chirme of Wellington and Anne his wife had a son, Richard, born in 1686 in Wellington. Martha may have been born next, in about 1691. Richard then married Mary, and had William (1699) and John (1701).


Richard was born in 1648 in Wellington, and was the son of Thomas Chirme and Elinor Howle. Thomas and Elinor married in 1641, then had Richard (1641) and Joshua (1652).


Thomas was the son of John and Anne Chirme of High Ercall, who had sons, Samuell (1615), Thomas (1617), Benjamine (1621) and Richard (1624). John was born in 1591, of the townland of Tearne in High Ercall, with no parents recorded in the parish register.


John's sons Thomas and  Benjamin may have moved from High Ercall to Wellington. They are found having children christened in Wellington parish in the 1640s through the  1660s, while Samuell and Joanne his wife stayed and had children in High Ercall: John (1647), and Mary (1655). Thomas and Elinor had Richard (1651) and John (1652), both christened in Wellington. Benjamin and Sarah had a son (1650), Joyce (1652), Benjamin (1662), George (1665), a son (1657), and Jane (1666), all christened in Wellington. 


John Chirme of Tearne in High Ercall married Jane or Joanne Massy 19 May 1682 in High Ercall, and had children in High Ercall: John (1684), Sarah (1693), Anna (1695), Margaret (1698), Mary (1700), Sylvanus (1702), and John (1703). It is possible that Martha was born in about 1691 to John and Joanne.


John was born in 1665 in High Ercall, the son of Sylvanus and Johanna. Sylvanus and Johanna had John (1665), Mary (1668) and Margaret (1672).


Sylvanus was born in 1632 in High Ercall, the son of Ambrose and Isabell Chirne of Tearne, High Ercall. Ambrose and Isabell had these children: Elizabeth (1613), Thomas (1617), Anne (1620), Margaret (1622), Ambrose (1624), William (1627), Richard (1630), and Silvanus (1632).


Ambrose, senior, was born in 1585 of the townland of Tearne in High Ercall, with no parents recorded in the parish register. It is possible that Ambrose and John (1591) were brothers. They were both of the townland of Tearne. Others born in the townland were Thomas (1588), Andrew (1590), and George (1594). In 1597, the father's name begins to be listed, and Anne, daughter of William Chyrne of Tearne is recorded as christened in 1597. William may be the father of all of them.


The surname Chirme is not a common name: "This rare and interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is an example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames...The surname Churm derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "cearm, cierm", noise, chatter, often used of birdsong, in Middle English "churme, chirme". As a nickname, this term would have been applied to someone considered to be particularly noisy, a "chatterbox". The surname is widespread in Shropshire and the West Midlands." (www.surnamedb.com)


SOURCE: Upton Magna parish register; High Ercall parish register; Rodington parish register on www.findmypast.com.
 


If you have any additional information about this family, please contact me at alice@boydhouse.com.
 


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