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Murch Family Worldwide
Welcome to the Murch Worldwide website.
There are about 82,000 Murch's worldwide! That number has probably increased since I first calculated and wrote the sentence about three years ago. If you are one of the Murch clan, then your ancestors most likely, and I use that phrase carefully, hail from the Southern coast of England. In particular the South Hams area of Devon.
The extended Murch family are as diverse and different as any family can be. In the main, we can be described as heroic, artistic, creative, altruistic and benevolent, with a rich and wonderful heritage of heroes, beautiful stars, talented craftsmen, artists, powerful politicians, churchmen and wonderful writers and storytellers. That's not to say we don't have our share of rotters - three murderers (that I can find), a few con men and, I've no doubt, there are some assholes among us. They are definitely a tiny minority! On the pages here, you will find
photographs, stories and news on the all the branches of the family, through generations to some of the current successful Murch's who are carving a path through their chosen profession.
Research is invaluable for those tracing their past, but time consuming, so hopefully these pages may go some way to encourage and assist you in your quest for information. However, I cannot do the research for you. I may, in some cases, know of your particular branch and it's origins but there are so many, with so many similar names, that it can become unbearably confusing. I cannot tell you how many times I have pursued a William, followed by another William, then another, then another - all sons named after their father, only to find that one of them is wrong. Please, if you are a Murch, give your children nice, unique names for future genealogists!!
Please use the message board to post a question about someone connected to you. Hopefully someone reading it can assist you.
Don't forget that twitter, LinkedIn and facebook can also reach many Murch's around the world. There are about 4000 Murch's listed on LinkedIn and Facebook, so plenty of opportunity to find and link up with long lost cousins.
I hope you enjoy reading these pages. If you can contribute to the stories then, please, get in touch and share.
Your family story is part of our family story.
Loulou
Personal Note
I have limited time to dedicate to this site, so, as I am not in the best of health, replies may take some time to filter back to your enquiry. I apologise in advance if you don't receive a quick reply.
In time, this site will need a new author or it will be closed in January 2023, so, if you have a personal interest in the website and want to contribute or want to retain any information from it, please copy it now before it disappears.
Lou XX
All information on this website is taken from the public domain and where possible credited to the source. If you find there is an error in an article or the information within it is incorrectly credited and wish to change it please contact me privately at the email supplied in contacts. I am happy to make changes requested by descendents and families of the subjects of these biographies.
On this site you will find the stories of the following remarkable people:
Norman Robins Murch HMS Beagle
Richard Melville Murch - Merrills Marauders WW2
Theodore Edward Murch DSC - HMS Prince of Wales
Edward William Lionel Murch - HMS Prince of Wales
John Murch - Trench Raider The Great War
Arthur Murch - Wood Engraver
Margaret Murch - Actress
Leonard C Murch - Hurricane Pilot
Edward Murch - Died in Japanese POW Camp
Queenie Murch - WRAF Comms Worker
Livingstone Murch - Champion Swimmer
Frank Murch - Salcombe Civil Commander
John Murch - Battle of Ctesiphon 1915
Henry Walter Murch - The Buffs 1917
John Murch - Teacher
Peter Murch - Spitfire Pilot
Emily Murch - Court Dressmaker
Walter Tandy Murch - Artist
Samuel Murch - Faithful Servant
Robert Murch - Revolutionary
Harold Murch - NZ Soldier The Tahiti Affair
Rev. Chauncey Murch - Egyptologist & Missionary
Sir Jerom Murch - Mayor of Bath
Arthur Murch - War Artist WWII
Rev. William Harris Murch - The Boy Preacher
James DeForest Murch - Writer & Churchman
John Murch - Silversmith
Christmas is upon us and I want to wish all the Murch family and clans a wonderful, healthy and hearty Christmas and New Year. 2024 will be a brilliant year for Murch folk. Get in touch and pass on your news. The ancestors are no doubt looking down in wonder at the excess of our modern Christmas with its excess of food and gifts.
Murch Blog
Murch Artists
Art is one of the mediums in which the Murch's excel. Above is Airlift from Kabul by Canon Robin Murch, a talented painter who uses his art to comment on current affairs around the world. His vision of the airlift was prompted by the chaos and inhumanity of the situation, the loss of life and tragedy of those abandoned to the cruelty of the new regime.
Murch artists always find their creative voices and some wonderful talents have come to my attention, among them: James Murch, Marilyn Murch, Arthur Murch, Walter Tandy Murch and, as above, Canon Robin Murch. Each developed a singular style, worthy of bringing to your attention. They display unique talent that never fails to surprise and astound me.
I have to mention a new website dedicated to Walter Tandy Murch; https://waltertandymurch.com
Walter Tandy Murch (1907–1967) is best known for his enigmatic, dreamlike still-life paintings of everyday objects and mechanical devices in a style that falls between Magic Realist, Surrealist, and Realist. A new book offers the most comprehensive collection of his work, including paintings exhibited at the Betty Parsons Gallery, monochrome works on paper, and Murch’s striking commissioned work for the covers of Scientific American, Fortune Magazine, and other commercial assignments. Several of his works are for sale on the website, including a self-portrait that is particularly enigmatic.
Essays are expertly written by Judy Collischan, Robert Storr, Winslow Myers, and Walter Scott Murch, with a forward by George Lucas.
George Lucas describes Murch’s work as simultaneously “functional and dreamy, simple and complicated; they are quiet yet grab your attention.” Take a look at the website.
James Murch is currently exhibiting at Cockington Court in Torquay and you can find more information on his website. He took part in Landscape Artist of the Year on Sky Arts and can be seen painting on Plymouth Hoe painting Drake Island, who many will be familiar with.
His style is so beautiful, so vivid and the colours so exciting that I am hoping, one day, to acquire one of his works for myself. I think he is one of the most exciting landscape artists.
We welcome news, photos and information on products and books, written, made by or even about Murch's that you would like to see promoted on here. Email details and we will print a picture and a review.
Lots of love, Loulou xx
Please feel free to contact me.
Email: info@loveloulou.com or use the contact page
Telephone 0044 (0)7765 144477
My Heritage In Devon
I'm descended from Thomas and Susanna Murch who lived in Marborough in Devon. Along with many hundreds of others who are spread around the world, I can trace my ancestry further back than that. My great grandfather was William Henry Murch, who appears on this page with his horses. His youngest son, Alfred was my grandfather. In the picture of the family group (below) Alfred sits on his fathers lap and Willliam and Sarah are surrounded by some of their 15 surviving children.
This Murch branch was a huge family, so I know there are many of you out there who also trace your ancestry to William and Sarah or further back to Thomas and Susanna or even further back. If you are, then you are part of a wonderfully diverse family of Murch's, who became actors, engineers, artists, novelists and journalists, servicemen who served in both world and other wars, servants, farmers, fishermen, scientists, film makers, pirates and wreckers, politicians and, I'm sorry to say it, a couple of murderers and numerous petty criminals. Most link back to the South Hams of Devn. There is definitely a link to the early settlers in the USA who followed the Mayflower too. If you are in the USA then you cannot get better research than Dana Paul Murch's research into the first Murch's to land in Maine. You can find links to him on the books page. However, Dana has no more copies of his book and you will need to access local libraries to source iformation.
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