We can trace the origins of all the Emptages in the UK at the time of the census in 1841 back to three places in Kent: the Isle of Thanet, the Isle of Sheppey or Dover.
But between 1560 and 1840 there were many baptisms elsewhere, both in the wider Kent county and outside of Kent including the London/Surrey/Middlesex areas. What happened to those children and to their descendants?
In July 2013, in the article Too Many Henrys for Comfort, I attempted to address several puzzles, including the marriages of two Henrys in 1797. I was trying to work out which Henry married which woman. My conclusions were wrong and now I revisit that conundrum to explain the correct verdict and to set the records straight.
We are currently working with 95 wills, most of them dated before the days of censuses and civil registration and some even before the parish registers and in Latin. We are extracting information in the hope of establishing the various family branches.
Team member Andrew wondered whether DNA testing could establish a genetic link between him, descended from the Emptages of Thanet and team member Roger, descended from the Emptages of Sheppey.
Patron saints are heavenly advocates for nations or places, occupations and professions or people. Perhaps the most well known is St Christopher, the patron saint of travellers.
I think that it is time for family historians to have a patron saint who they can call upon in times of stress and bewilderment. But who should it be? Who would favour our particular interest?
Emily Sophia Wallis married Walter Dansy Emptage in 1920 when she was 22.
My mother had told me that Emily was adopted and I thought that there was little chance of finding her birth mother. However, thanks to the resourcefulness of Joan Leary, a member of Team Emptage, I was able to trace Emily’s birth.
Given her adoption, I expected Emily’s birth to be a sad event but I found the circumstances were even more upsetting than I expected.
