Whatmore Family History

A very large number of Whatmores can trace their tree back to Thomas Watmore of Curdale Farm at Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire. The farm is still there with the farm house, which Thomas would have known, nestling into the hillside.  It is an unusual building with a terrace in front of the main rooms with arches underneath leading to cellars. A history of the farm can be read at this link:

http://www.cleoburymortimerhistory.co.uk/curdalefarm.htm

We can be reasonably certain that Thomas of Curdale was the Thomas baptised at Neenton, a few miles to the north, at Michaelmas 1586. His father was another Thomas who married Margery Smalman in on 25 September 1575 at Neenton. Thomas of Curdale’s line thus leads back to the William Watmough from Eccleston – the supposed ancestor of all the Shropshire and West Midlands Whatmores.

Thomas of Curdale married a Joan Tomasson in 1612 and at Curdale Farm they raised a large family of children. Although Thomas was a yeoman farmer he did not own Curdale Farm, but was the tenant, and despite his social status, Thomas could not write his own name, making his mark instead on official documents.

We know that Thomas of Curdale was still living at the time of the Civil War (1642 –1651) as we known that he married in 1652 to Elizabeth Edgeley, following the death of Joan, his first wife. It is highly likely that at least some of Thomas’s sons were obliged to go off to war – probably supporting the Royalist cause since the local landowners, the Blounts of Mawley Hall were Royalists. The Blounts’ estates were later confiscated by parliament because they had supported the King.

 Curdale Farm - the Farmhouse   Copyright: Rhys Whatmore   Photograph taken and reproduced by the kind permission of the owners

A local tradition tells that Cromwell’s soldiers were denied the use of the forges at Cleobury Mortimer for the repair of their arms and the shoeing of their horses, and as Thomas’s son George was a nailer, he may have been one of those at Cleobury who refuse to provide facilities for the Parliamentarians.

All of Thomas’s children who were of an age to fight in the Civil War, survived it Thomas’s son Thomas continued to run the farm after his father’s death, but the other children lived elsewhere

  By 1658, the activities at Curdale were expanding and a tan yard was established and it seems likely that the pond in the farm yard to the south of the house is the remains of an artifical mere created for the tanning industry.  Towards the end of the century the tanning industry went into decline and it seems the tannery at Curdale had gone by 1719, as a survey map of that date shows only dovecotes, hop yards and orchards surrounding the farm house.

 Curdale farm - the pond which probably supplied the tannery  Copyright: Rhys Whatmore   Photograph taken and reproduced by the kind permission of the owners

Thomas, son of Thomas of Curdale, died in 1699 and the Watmore association with Curdale Farm came to an end, although the Watmores continued to thrive in Cleobury Mortimer town and the surrounding district.

The known children of Thomas of Curdale and Joan were:

A son who died in infancy in 1612

Thomas born 1618  died 1699

John born 1620  died 1700

George born 1622 died 1701

Ales born 1629 and married John Winwood, yeoman, in 1655. She died in 1668. Their children were Arnold 1656; John 1660 and Martha 1664.

Humphrey born 1625

Ann who died in 1669

Thomas, yeoman, son of Thomas and Ann, born 1618 and died 1699, continued to run the farm after his father’s death and married an Ales.  Thomas also worked for the local vicar, the Rev. Goodwin. Their children were Thomas 1650; William 1662; John 1653; James 1655; Joseph 1656; Mary 1660; Joyce 1661 and Hilary 1665.

John, son of Thomas and Joan, born 1620 and died 1700, married Elizabeth Nicholls. This is my own line of descent. Their children were: John 1652; Thomas died 1729; Francis 1654; William 1656; Jane died  1661 and Elizabeth 1665.

 George, son of Thomas and Joan, born 1622 and died 1701, married Elizabeth Newall. None of their male children lived long enough to have offspring of their own.  George and Elizabeth’s children were Joyce 1651, George 1652, Elizabeth 1661, Edward 1655, James 1665, Jane died 1675 and Thomas 1668.

Humphrey, son of Thomas and Joan, born 1625 and who is recorded as paying Hearth Tax in 1672, married first Joyce Newall who died in 1684, and then Margery Winwood. Humphrey was a carter and possibly also a builder. We know that he supplied timber to the local vicar.   The children of Humphrey and Joyce were Hester 1650, Joyce 1651 and Humphrey 1654.

This account is based on that provided by Geoffrey Whatmore in ‘Wat’s Brother-in-Law’ Details of this CD ROM can be found at www.genfair.com. Look under ‘Browse Suppliers’ for ‘Whatmore Family History’