Jerom Murch - Honiton

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:52 pm     Post subject: Jerom Murch - Honiton

I've been bequeathed a grandfather clock with the name Jerom Murch Honition on the face.

I can't find anything on the net about this clockmaker.

Any help appreciated.

Dave

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:23 pm     Post subject: Jerom Murch

Sorry the name doesn't ring any bells. I'm inclined to believe that it may be an abbreviation or a partial name. Unfortunately there were 1000's of clockmakers in various countries. Not all of them were listed in various clockmaking directories.
Sometimes photos of the clock will help in identifying it. Certain details of the case, movement, dial, etc can narrow down identification and country of origin.

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:44 am     Post subject: Jerom Murch - Honiton

Thanks for the reply.....

I should have said that the Honiton refers to Honiton Devon, UK

The clock has come down from first son to first son and now to me.

I have found a hand written note pinned inside the clock which says:



Taken from the Book by G H Baille, published 1929


No mention of Jerom - maybe he was learning his trade.

Thanks for your help.

Dave

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:21 pm     Post subject: JEROM MURCH

I cannot tell you much about your clock but I do know who Jerom Murch was, as he was my husband's ancestor. (Jerom is the correct spelling of his name)
I have a transcript of a family history written by Jerom's son William in 1829 which states "As the clock making tools from the business of Francis Pile were taken over by the Murch family in 1749, it seems that Jerom Murch was a clockmaker"
Jerom Murch was born 1739/40 died 1802. His father was John Murch a goldsmith of Plymouth who married in Honiton in 1737/8.
Jerom had a grandson Jerom (son of above William) who was mayor of Bath 9 times and knighted by Queen Victoria.
As far as I know these are the only 2 men by the name Jerom Murch in history !
I hope this of interest.

Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:07 pm     Post subject: Murch Clocks

Jerom Murch was indeed a clock maker. My Great, Great, Great Grandfather was William Murch (tinsmith & ironmonger of Honiton born 29.5.1797 - died 5.12.1853) and it is from this starting point that you may like to make contact and compare family trees. I have a detailed tables and memoirs showing origins of the relevant Murch clockmakers (including Jerom). My father learnt the trade from the last Murch. I continue the research as and when, and could help you with small, specific questions; only I do not have much time at the moment. Occasionally I see Murch clocks in sales and wish I could afford to own one. It's good to know another clock is safe and well. Best wishes.

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:56 am     Post subject: Jerom Murch

I'd be grateful of your information, Rex, and others as I am writing a biography of Jerom Murch (Mayor of Bath) for the BRLSI. I was very interested to hear that his grandfather Jerome was a famous clockmaker. Incidentally, one of his clocks was being auctioned in NZ recently.

Any information about this Murch family would be very welcome, as well as the clocks and their relative importance to the industry.

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:00 am     Post subject: Jerome Murch, Honiton

Rex, are you who I think you are? We have a common ancestor!

Redcarbatterystacks, it's good to hear of a Jerom clock - we have two Murch clocks in our family, one of which is a Jerom.

My brother has a William, which has a ship at the top of the pendulum that bobs up and down. My parents have the Jerom, which is still in perfect working order.

So I guess that means that as decendents of the Murches we must be distantly related?!

Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:49 am     Post subject: Murch

Hi Rex
Thanks a lot for your reply. It would be a tremendous help if i could see or learn more about the material you have. William was the father of the Jerom (the younger, grandson of Jerom clockmaker) who I am writing about. I know that William married again when Jerom was young and I understand he had to leave school early because of the number of young step sibs. How best can I learn more, please. I am able to come to Honiton if you're less busy now.

Hi Busy Bee, I think your parents' clock must be very valuable, judging by the auction price guide of the one I saw advertised. Hope they have it well insured.!

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:38 pm     Post subject: The Murch Legacy

Hello again everyone, I am keen to keep this discussion going - sorry I haven't checked back here before. I do have limited time to spend on this sort of thing but I'm happy to provide missing dates of Murch family etc. Yes I know who you are Busybee! Interesting to learn that a Murch clock went in NZ recently. The last time I saw a Murch clock at auction was in the antique dept. in Gloucester down by the old docks. I would be keen to trace this one as it had a family tree inside the case, to see if it corresponds to the information I have. By the way there are Murch clocks in several church towers in East Devon, including Sidbury near Sidmouth. You may be interested in the Allhallows Museum in Honiton, Devon, UK, which was started to house the collection of John Murch of Honiton. He came from an old Huguenot family which came out of the low countries and settled here in the UK. They had been clockmakers, coppersmiths and ironmongers, and John had a shop in Honiton High Street. John Murch was born at Plymouth in 1713, came to Honiton in 1739, died in 1785. Jerom Murch was born in 1740, died 1802. Elizabeth Murch, widow of Jerom (d.1807) took on the clock business when Jerom died. Matthew Murch b. 1796, died 1865. You will also find Murch ancestors in the Tiverton area as John Much the elder settled there. Examples of the Honiton clocks would interest me, John and Jerom are the rarest. One thing they have in common is solid workmanship. For those who could not afford an expensive clock they produced 34 hour movements with painted dials and simple oak cases. For the better-off customers they made 8 day movements with either brass dials with silvered chapter rings or more elaborately decorated painted dials. Cases were either oak or mahogony and a few were of oak with mahogany cross-banding. (These notes were taken by my father's cousin whose grandmother was the daughter of Matthew Murch, the last of the clockmakers.

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:26 pm     Post subject: Re: The Murch Legacy