Pembrokeshire

Herefordshire

Other

Pembrokeshire, Wales

Undoubtedly considered the home of the family name by many. Today you will find more Skyrmes in the towns in Pembroke and the places around (such as Tenby, Haverford West, Narbeth) than anywhere else in the British Isles. Many church graveyards in the area will show a Skyrme or two. The odd Skyrme will also be found further afield, such as Crickhowell.

Many of our own family were born in Monkton - a district that is virtually joined to Pembroke (west). Pembroke dockyard provided employment for many of our ancestors, bearing in mind the naval and shipwright traditions in our family. Below are some places in Pembrokeshire which feature prominently as birthplaces and residences of Skyrmes. They are listed roughly in frequency of mentions in Pembrokeshire records. Links are given to local information, including parish information provided by GENUKI (UK and Ireland Genealogy):

• Manorbier (10km E of Pembroke): over 50 records from 1774-1886
  Map - Community website - GENUKI
• Penally (15km E of Pembroke, near Tenby): over 50 records from 1809-1888
  Map - GENUKI
• Llawhaden (22km NE of Pembroke, near Narbeth): about 40 records from 1655-1774
  Map - Parish information - GENUKI
• Llangwm (8km N of Pembroke): about 40 records from 1777-1924
  Map - Community website - Local History Group - GENUKI
• Pembroke (including St. Mary, St. Twynnell and Pembroke Dock): about 30 records 1836-1918
  Map - GENUKI
• Castlemartin (8km W of Pembroke): about 20 records from 1811-1905
  Map - GENUKI
• Monkton (adjoins Pembroke to West): about 20 records 1863-1901
  Map - GENUKI
• Pwllcrochan (5km W of Pembroke): about 15 records 1861-1875
  Map - GENUKI
• Tenby (15km E of Pembroke): about 10 records 1827-1878
  Map - Tenby History - GENUKI

Herefordshire

There is also historically a very well defined cluster of Skyrmes in Herefordshire, a county just in England near the border with mid-Wales. Parish records list around 250 Skyrme, Skyrm, Scirm, Skirme entries (though some may refer to events involving the same person) with common Christian names being Anne, Elizabeth, Mary, William, Thomas, Richard, John. Record dates range from 1552 to 1895.

Parishes mentioned include Lugwardine, Withington, Puddlestone.

Inscription on a Tombstone

Evidence of the Hereford connection is there for all to see - on a tombstone, strategically placed in the precints of Hereford Cathedral.

Underneath her lie the remains of
ISAAC SKYRME (late of this City
Alderman) who died Sep 9, 1789
Aged 75 years

Also of JANE SKYRME his Reliat
who died March 17, 1778

Also of THOMAS SKYRME ESQ
only son of the above by JANE
his wife who died March 18, 1831

Aged 72 Years

Notes:
1. The date could be 1799 - many feet have smoothed out the detail!
2. Reliat is an old word for widow.

Since it seems that the Hereford connection with our family was lost in the mid 1600s when a Thomas Skirm moved to Pembroke (see Snippets), little further reference to Herefordshire will be made on this website. Hopefully, we will be able to find a website that covers the Herefordshire Skyrmes as its focus.

Other Locations

Other locations where the Skyrmes from Pembrokeshire and Wales migrated in the 19th century included:

• Portsmouth, Chatham and Barrow - because of the naval shipyards
• USA - we have record of some Skyrms in Cardiff migrating to New York in the 1830s, and the name later appears in Ohio

With increased mobility in the 20th century a scattering of Skyrmes can now be found all over the UK, and as far afield as the USA and New Zealand. However, there are no clusters as strong as those in Pembrokeshire and Herefordshire of former times.