Just five weeks from today, on 8th September, we will be gathering at St Peter's in Thanet, to meet fellow Emptage / Emtage descendants. Results of our DNA Study indicate that all of the descendants will be cousins. Some will have a fairly close relationship with traceable links. Others will be of a distant degree, connected only by the same common ancestor, whose name remains lost in the midst of time.

86 Year Old Woman Dies of Injuries After Road Accident, Jan '18

An 86 year old woman, Lillie Thomas, dies of injuries sustained when a car driven by her daughter hits a line of cars waiting at a junction.

A Boatman's Life, Jan '17

Born into a family of generations of mariners, Albert John Emptage earnt his living by the sea, having begun to work with boats at the age of eight. Whilst he had a turbulent domestic life, his skill at sea was undisputed. Albert was a member of the Margate lifeboat service for 40 years, many of them as coxswain. It was not just his height which made him a 'giant of a man'.

A Brush with Life, Jan '15

Frank Sidney Smith was born in Thanet Union Workhouse. He had a difficult start in life, spending his early life in the children's home at Manston. And much of his adult life was traumatic. Art became Frank's therapy, a way of processing his life and understanding himself. His work has become recognised as "an extraordinary work of social history." Anthony Daniels, The Telegraph, 2001

A Surplus of Williams, Jul '13

I wanted to identify William, the father of two sons, Peter Wootton Emptage (born in 1830) and Erasmus Sympson Emptage. It should have been relatively simple, shouldn't it? Then I discovered there were fifteen baptisms of William Emptage between 1793 and 1838....

Alfred Burnett Emptage, Jan '15

Alfred's father and grandfather were mariners, as were his six brothers. Together with three of his brothers, he took part in saving the crew of the Northern Belle. They were considered heroes and received a medals. But Alfred was to die a difficult death, aged just 45, in a mental asylum.

Alfred James Emptage, Mar '17

Alfred was born into a long line of mariners but, perhaps realising not only that it was a difficult life but also a dangerous one, he and his four brothers turned their back on the sea and sought other means of making a living. An assurance agent in Margate, Thanet, Alfred rose to the position of a Vice President of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (pictured) in New York.

Alice Eva Emptage, Mar '17

Alice married in 1883, just before her sixteenth birthday and two years later she and her husband emigrated to Illinois, USA. Having given birth to a boy in 1886, Alice was to die in 1893, aged just 25.

Alleged Assault by Landlord Leads to Court Case, Dec '17

In 1923 a Whitstable landlord appeared at a Canterbury court accused of assaulting Henry Emptage, a tenant of a house he owned.

An attempt to connect the Thanet and Sheppey Emptages, Mar '15

As part of our One-Name Study, we are keenly interested in establishing the connection between the Emptages of the Isle of Thanet, who were there at least from the 1400s and the Emptages who arrived in the Isle of Sheppey in the early 1700s.

Ann Homersham Emptage, Oct '17

Ann Homersham Emptage died in 1894 in Ohio. She and her husband Thomas Emptage had emigrated from the Isle of Thanet, Kent, England in 1835 and raised a large family in Ohio. She "had a quiet life, showing forth its goodness not so much in words as in deeds".

Ann Phoebe Emptage nee Hopkins, Jan '21

Ann Phoebe Hopkins was brought up in Canterbury, inland from the Kent coast. So the life she experienced in Margate after she married Alfred Burnett Emptage, a mariner and lifeboat man, was quite different from anything she had experienced previously or could even have imagined.

Avis Emptage and Harold Harding, Mar '21

Avis Emptage had a difficult and complicated life but in 1913 she married Harold Harding and could have hoped for years of happiness to come. Alas, it wasn't to be.

Bonaparte's Hat, Jan '15

The story of an encounter with a veteran boat man named Hemptage and of his meeting with Napoleon Bonaparte. Why was it so important?

Borough Surveyor Charged With Assault, Dec '16

Thanet Advertiser 10th April 1869. Edward Robert Emptage and Stephen John Emptage were witnesses in an almost ludicrous assault case brought against the Borough Surveyor.

Boy Saved from Drowning, Dec '17

A boy swept out by the tide was saved from drowning in Margate by a passer-by and two local boatmen

Caroline Jane Emptage, Mar '17

Caroline married William Mynheer when she was young and pregnant. He worked on fishing trawlers but through the 1880s William was often in court for drunkenness, incurring fines or having to do hard labour. Caroline ran a lodging house and worked as a rope-maker to keep the family out of dependence on the parish and the workhouse.

Carriage Driver Found Drunk, Jan '18

A Margate man was accused of being drunk in charge of a horse and carriage.

Charged with stealing biscuits, Dec '16

South Eastern Gazette 28th October 1856. Petty Sessions, Monday 27th October. Albert John Emptage and John Martin, two lads under ten years old, were charged by the owners of the "Ondine" fishing lugger, with stealing a quantity of biscuits from that vessel.

Charles Frederick Emptage, Mar '18

Like many of his generation, Charles Frederick Emptage lied about his age when he enlisted in 1909, probably to escape the poverty many of people in England suffered. He saw service in Singapore and India and on the outbreak of war in 1914 he returned to England and was posted to Belgium early in 1915.

Child Migration, Feb '21

For more than 100 years, child migration schemes removed children from their families and friends and the places they knew. The children were sent to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Rhodesia. Supposedly to give children with poor lives a better chance, it was also a means of increasing the population of these still new countries. At least three of the children were Emptages.

Christina Emtiach 1497 of St Peter-in-Thanet, Apr '18

Christina Emptiach named her surviving sons and her two daughters in-law, both named Alice. She also named Jone Austen and the sons of George Emptiach as beneficiaries. It seems likely that Jone was George's widow, remarried.

Clifford Walter Emptage, Jan '15

Colour Sergeant Clifford Walter Emptage was a career soldier who served in the 21st London Regiment. He was a specialist in machine guns. When invalided out of France in 1915 he continued to serve as a training instructor.

Cornet Player Refuses to Play at Election Rally, Oct '17

Charles Emptage, a cornet player from Grimsby, loses his case for wages in lieu of notice when he refused to play at an election rally.

Cyril George Emptage, Jan '15

Sergeant Cyril George Emptage was a career soldier who served in the Machine Gun Corps, which became the Royal Tank Regiment during World War One. He was killed in the battle of Lys in April 1918.

Dairyman Fined for Minor Assault on Child, Oct '17

Boxing the ears of a young boy who was helping him and refused to carry out an instruction caused a dairyman to be found guilty of assault and fined one shilling.

Daniel Clark Emptage, Jan '17

When Daniel's parents and siblings emigrated to the USA, he chose to remain. Descended from an agricultural branch of the family, Daniel became a fisherman and an oyster seller in Ramsgate. He married Caroline in 1838 when he was twenty one and raised a family. In 1861 a nightmare began for Daniel, one which would ultimately end in his death.

Daniel Emptage, 1650, St Lawrence in Thanet, Apr '18

Daniel Emptage left forty shillings of lawful money to be distributed equally between the children of his brother Jeffery and, following certain bequests to Mary Friend, a widow, the remainder of his estate to his sons Thomas and Daniel.

David Lindsey Emptage 1944 - 2018, Dec '18

The very sad and untimely death of David Lindsey Emptage has left a great hole in the Emptage family. Just as walking on a beach leaves footprints in the sand, so David has left footprints in our hearts.

Death of Oddfellows Stalwart, Oct '17

Elija Emptage was a stalwart of the Independent Order of Oddfellows having been a member for over 50 years until his recent death

Dedication Service of the Victory Lugger Memorial Stone at Margate, May '13

The nine men crew of the Victory Lugger lost their lives when their boat was swamped by terrible seas during their attempt to rescue the crew of the American sailing ship Northern Belle which had foundered on rocks off the most south eastern point of England, off the coast of Kent, on 5th January 1857. Amongst them were William Emptage, aged 52 and his nephew, John Emptage, aged 29.

DNA results to date, Nov '17

To recap, as at the time of the 1841 census, there were four Emptage trees, two in Thanet, one in Sheppey and Grimsby, one in Barbados and we are seeking to prove that the descendants of all four trees are genetically linked.

DNA testing proves two hypotheses, Jan '17

Andrew writes of his journey as he began researching his family history and discovered his origins. He discusses how he arrived at the Anglo Saxon theory and his conclusion that all the Emptages in the world may have originated with one common ancestor in Thanet. Andrew outlines his reasons for deciding to take a DNA test and the amazing results it generated.

Edward Joseph Emptage, Jan '17

Edward enlisted as a private in the South Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, part of the Royal Army Medical Corps, in August 1914. The Field Ambulance was a mobile front line medical unit manned by troops of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Edward saw service in Gallipoli, and France, working in unimaginable conditions.

Edward Lindsey Emptage 1892 - 1966, May '15

Edward's twin brother died in World War 1 but Edward survived. He was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre in the process but at what cost to himself and to his family? His son David begins to understand his father's emotional distance.

Eileen Joyce Emptage, May '15

What did you do in the war, Mummy? Leaving school just a few months before the start of World War 2, Eileen became a telephone operator in the Civil Service and was one of thousands who worked to keep communications going throughout the country. They worked shifts to maintain the service 24 hours a day, often sleeping on camp beds at the telephone exchanges. They stayed at their switchboards in the midst of bombing raids. They were the unsung heroes. But was there even more to Eileen Joyce Emptage?

Elijah Emptage, Mar '17

Born in Birchington, Thanet, in 1795, Elijah was 40 when he and his wife Sarah decided to emigrate to Ohio, USA with their five daughters though their eldest child, Daniel, chose to remain at home in Thanet. The son of an agricultural labourer, Elijah became a respected gardener and prominent figure in his new community.

Eliza Louisa Emptage, Mar '17

In 1905, at the age of 40, Eliza and her husband, William Russell, a butcher by trade, emigrated to Australia. They settled in a mid sized town called Taralgon, in Victoria. Unfortunately lack of records give no clues to their life there

Elizabeth Emptage, Mar '17

Five years after her husband, Thomas Hepburn, had been convicted for his part in the Swing Riots of 1830 and had been transported to Australia, Elizabeth took advantage of the British government scheme to send wives and children to join their husbands once the convict had served his sentence.

Emily Sophia Wallis, Oct '15

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.

Emptage and Emtage Gathering 2018, Jun '18

2018 marks the 5th anniversary of this website. We are planning a Gathering in Thanet. If you have Emptage heritage, you are very welcome to come and celebrate with us.

Emptage Men Who Gave Their Life in WW1 and WW2, Nov '13

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them."

Emptages in 1841 and before, Mar '17

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?

Emptages named in the will of John Sackett, 1588, Apr '18

Joan Emptage, the widow of Richard Emptage, married John Sackett in 1587 and thus began the Emptage connection with St Nicholas at Wade. John Sackett made bequests to Joan and three of her four children by Richard Emptage.

Emptages named in the will of John Terry, 1616, Apr '18

John Terry was the father of Joan, who married Edward Emptage, yeoman and church-warden of St Nicholas at Wade in 1591. John Terry made bequests to his grandchildren, including the children of Joan and Edward Emptage.

Emptages of St Nicholas at Wade, Aug '17

In 1571, Richard Emptage's widow Joan married John Sackett, a yeoman from St Nicholas at Wade and moved there with her children. And so began the story of Richard and Joan's descendants in the parish.

Family History Detective Kit, May '21

Researching family history can be a long process but it can be so very well worth while and I'd encourage anybody to have a go, to learn about their roots. To help us as we spend long hours slaving over a hot computer endeavouring to track down elusive ancestors, I have developed the Family History Detective Kit.

Fined for poaching, Sep '17

George Emptage appears in court charged with poaching

Foundering of the Rossgull, Feb '17

A maritime disaster off the coast of Jersey in December 1900. One of the crew aboard the steamship Rossgull was Elijah Jarman Emptage.

Frances Alice Emptage, Mar '17

Frances' brother Alfred and sister Rosamond had emigrated to the USA in 1882 and 1884. In 1887, aged 16, Frances followed but rather than join her siblings in New York she travelled west to California. In 1890 a San Francisco newspaper published an article describing a rather difficult position she had got herself into.

Francis Walter Emptage, Mar '17

Francis took after his father and became a gardener. Aged 20, he emigrated to Canada in 1904, settling in Meaford Township, Ontario. By 1911 he had changed careers and become a grocery wagon driver. When he enlisted into the army in 1917, he gave his occupation as credit manager.

Frederick John Emptage, Jan '17

A difficult childhood and an army career in which he obtained three good conduct badges. But his conduct as a civilian was questionable, as one young lady was to find out. But was there a happy ending?

From the Isle of Thanet to the Isle of Sheppey, Jul '17

That the Emptages of the Isle of Sheppey were genetically linked to at least one branch of the Emptages of the Isle of Thanet has been proved by DNA tests. Whilst the chances of finding a documented paper trail confirming the link are highly unlikely, the study of the baptism and marriage parish registers, coupled with the use or re-use of certain names, has identified the Emptages who probably migrated from Thanet to Sheppey, the place that they stopped at along the way and when the migration happened.

Gathering 2018: The Album, Dec '18

The full album of Gathering photographs, taken by Andrew Emptage. Enjoy!

Gathering at St Nicholas at Wade, Dec '18

On the Sunday of the Gathering weekend, several of us visited the church at St Nicholas at Wade, where Henry Emptage and Ann Peal were baptised in 1737 and married in 1763. Ten of their direct descendants were at the Gathering, including four who had flown from the USA.

Gathering at St Peters in Thanet, Oct '18

On 8th September 2018 24 direct descendants of the Emptage / Emtage familes, plus 11 partners gathered at St Peter's in Thanet for the inaugural Gathering. And so began a wonderful weekend.

Gathering at the Lifeboat, Dec '18

In recognition of our mariner heritage, we arranged a group visit to the RNLI's Margate lifeboat for the Saturday afternoon of the Gathering.

Gathering at the Orangery, Dec '18

On the evening of the Saturday, thirty three of us gathered at the Orangery in Margate for dinner. Not only was a fine time had by all but a surprise announcement was made.

Gathering at the Viking Ship and Margate, Dec '18

There was no set programme on the Sunday but a number of suggestions for people to visit depending on the time they had available before leaving to make their way home. These included the Viking Ship, St John's Church and Margate Museum.

Gathering Memories September 2018, Dec '18

People came from near and far, by plane, train and car, for the first Emptage / Emtage Gathering. They came in good humour, with the intention of enjoying themselves and contributing to the success. It was a truly uplifting experience.

George Emptage, Commodore, Bombay Marine, East India Company, Jan '17

Today there are many powerful global companies but the largest and most powerful was the East India Company. It had its own army and navy to protect its interests. George Emptage served in the company's Bombay Marine, rising to Commodore and seeing action in the Second Anglo-Mysore War in India.

George Emptiach, 1494, of St Peter in Thanet, Mar '18

George Emptiach left his goods and lands to his wife Johanne and to his sons Jeffery and Peter when they reached 21.

George Emptiage 1521 of St Peter-in-Thanet, Apr '18

George named his wife Eleanor, sons Robert, Thomas and John, daughter Helene, bequeathing livestock to all his children. He left his land and tenements first to his wife, then to son Robert.

George William Emptage, Apr '18

Descended from a long line of mariners, George William Emptage joined the Royal Navy on his 18th birthday. In civilian life he became a postman but when war was declared in 1914, he transferred from the Naval Reserves to active service.

George William Stone Emptage, Apr '18

Throughout his short life George William Emptage suffered from what we would now describe as learning difficulties, however this didn't prevent him from enlisting for what turned out to be a very brief military career.

Grimsby Woman Imprisoned For Stealing Clothes, Oct '17

Pawning lodgers clothes to alleviate poverty led to Betsy Emptage from Grimsby being sent to prison for nine months hard labour.

Henry Joseph Emptage, Jul '17

Aged 17, Henry Joseph decided to emigrate. He arrived in New York on 18 June 1871 to start his new life but the next 15 years of Henry’s life were to become rather complicated.

Henry Thomas Emptage, Jun '13

There is a well used but nevertheless very apt saying in family history research, that it raises more questions than it answers. And that is so true of the story of two brothers, three women and seventeen children.

Henry Thomas Emptage jnr, Apr '18

Henry Thomas Emptage lied about his age when he enlisted at only 16. He had already lost both his parents and no doubt saw a life in the Army as a way out of poverty and an opportunity for travel and excitement and it may have helped him deal with an very tragic personal life. His career in the army saw him serve in two wars before being called up to serve again at the outbreak of WW1.

Herbert George Robins, May '13

Herbert George Robins, the son of George Robins and Martha Ann Emptage, arrived in South Africa in 1892, aged 25. With a keen interest in science, he became a prospector and a surveyor. As a farmer, Herbert stopped the hunting, shooting and poaching of game on his land. His 26,000 acres were bequeathed to the Southern Rhodesian Government to be maintained as a game sanctuary for all time.

House Fire In Los Angeles, Mar '18

Exploding lamp causes house fire in Los Angeles.

How DNA works, "simplified", Jan '17

We're always hearing about DNA, especially in connection with police forensics, but what is it exactly, how does it work and how can DNA techniques be applied to genealogy?

Introduction to the Wills Project, Nov '15

When we embarked on our project looking at the Early Emptages, we decided that we needed a way of grouping the early parish register entries for births, marriages and burials into families. We hoped that there would be enough information in the wills and testaments of our ancestors to help us. We were delighted to find more wills than we had imagined and, though the olde English writing and language (in Latin for the very early wills) takes time to interpret and transcribe, we are making progress.

John Emptage – Citizen and Joyner of London c1682 - 1755, Jan '17

John Emptage of Watling Street in the City of London, Joyner and Cabinetmaker, first came to my attention in the City of London Sessions Papers dated 10 October 1737, which provided a fantastic insight into a family that could not only be traced in London and Kent, but also the West Indies and India.

John Emptage/Emtage at the Old Bailey in 1745, Jan '17

When John Emptage succumbed to temptation and stole a tea chest he may have anticipated what would befall him if he was caught but he can have had no idea that he would become embroiled in The War of the Austrian succession.

John Emptiache 1501 of St Peter-in-Thanet, Apr '18

The name John Emptiach appears as a witness in the wills of Christina Emptiache (widow of Michael) and George (son of Michael and Christina) but, as a witness, no relationship was given. Was this that John?

List of Emptage wills & documents, Jan '17

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.

Man Guilty of Fraud Given Paroled Sentence, Nov '17

A man guilty of fraud was given a paroled sentence and told to go to work and help his mother

Margate Lifeboat Men, Dec '18

When we visited the Margate lifeboat, Nick Smith, the archivist, had extracted the names of Emptages from the RNLI records, with their dates of service. He also provided a list of notable services and some historic photographs. This is an attempt to identify those Emptages.

Margate Man Jailed for Theft, Jan '18

Stealing a bag results in a court appearance for a Margate fisherman.

Mass Shootings at Manston Airbase, Sep '17

An American serviceman went on the rampage at Manston Airbase in Thanet, killing three people and wounding nine others before taking his own life. William Emptage was a witness.

Michael Emptiach 1489 of St Peter-in-Thanet, Mar '18

Michael Emptiach left four ewes and four lambs to each of his four sons and the residue of his goods to his wife Christina.

Name board from wrecked ship found, Sep '17

Kent mariner finds name board from wrecked ship

Norwegian Government Rewards Lifeboatmen, Jan '18

30 lifeboatmen from Margate rewarded by the Norwegian government following the rescue of the crew of the barque "Farsund"

Obadiah Emptage and his crime of torture, Jan '17

In January 1756, the court in Nottingham heard how a young female apprentice received nothing but cruelty and barbarity from her master, Obadiah Emptage.

Patron Saint of Family Historians, Nov '15

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?

Practising Safe Genealogy, Jul '13

If it is to be done properly, researching family history takes time and effort. What is the point of compromising the results by taking short cuts and replicating errors which are found on other people's trees?

Presentation of medals, Feb '17

Six members of the Emptage family took part in the rescue attempt of the crew of the Northern Belle in January 1857. Two lost their lives and three received medals at an earlier event. Now it was Alfred Emptage's turn to receive his medal at a ceremony where special mention was made of his bravery.

Pupils Injured in Science Room Explosion, Nov '17

Doctors and police were called to Whitstable Boys School after an explosion during a science experiment injured several pupils.

Pure Luck, May '13

We normally trace our ancestors by following the names and details on the birth, marriage and death certificates and confirming the details with reference to the censuses and it is generally fairly easy. Well, it is as long as our ancestors behave normally, appear where you expect them to be, and have normal family relationships. However, if their lives were complicated, the research becomes rather more difficult.

Ramsgate Boy Charged With Shouting in the Street, Dec '17

Continually shouting in the street lands Ramsgate boy in court

Ramsgate Family in Dispute, Jul '17

A dispute between the members of a Ramsgate family over the disposal of some furniture occupied the attention of his Honour Judge Clements for some hours at Margate County Court in May 1943.

Respect is due, May '13

When I researched the events which triggered the actions of Thomas Hepburn and other agricultural labourers during the Swing Riots, and the impact those actions had, both socially and politically, I was truly amazed. It seems to me that we owe our ancestors rather more respect than is normally accorded to the agricultural labourers who feature in our family history.

Richard Emptage 1545 of St Lawrence-in-Thanet, Apr '18

This is the first of the Emptage wills to make a connection with the sea. Richard owned land but was serving on one of King Henry VIII's war ships, probably as an officer, when he made his will.

Rosamond Hopkins Emptage, Mar '17

Rosamond was just 14 when she left England and sailed to join her brother, Alfred James in New York. She joined Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (pictured) as a stenographer.

Shipwreck of the 'Northern Belle' and the loss of the 'Victory', May '13

On 5th January 1857, an American sailing ship, the Northern Belle, was en route from New York to London when she was driven on to rocks off the coast of Kent, at the most south eastern point of England. The weather conditions were atrocious with a blizzard blowing and there were 28 men on board the ship. Amongst those in the rescue boats were Alfred Emptage and his three brothers: George, Charles and Edward. They all survived but their uncle William and cousin John perished.

Stanley William Emptage, Nov '15

Following the death of his mother and the incapacity of his father, when Stanley was just eight years old he found himself in a Boy's Industrial Home in Lewisham, south London. He suffered under its very harsh regime and was removed to the Training Ship Exmouth. Although there was discipline, it wasn't harsh and the boys were taught skills which would fit them for their future lives. Stanley thrived and was able to develop his music skills and make music his career.

Sudden Death of Margate Mother, Nov '17

An Inquest hears how a Margate Mother found dead by her son had suffered with heart problems for years.

Suicide of Margate Man, Jan '18

The Margate Borough Coroner heard that grief over the death of his wife may have been behind the suicide of John Emptage,, in 1931

Swing Riots of 1830, May '13

Thomas Hepburn married Elizabeth Emptage and they had two young children. He was 30, a ploughman and a wheel wright and yet, he risked everything, including jail, execution or transportation to a penal colony on the other side of the world if he were caught carrying out the action which he and others were planning on the night of 21st November 1830.

Sydney Hubert Emptage, Mar '17

Sydney was a law clerk in Margate and was great friends with his older cousin, Herbert George Robins who lived and worked in South Africa. He jumped at the chance when Herbert asked him to join him in South Africa, to help run his game reserve. However, as the war in Europe progressed, he joined the Royal Engineers Signal Unit.

Terrible Gales of November 1893, Nov '13

The brigantine 'Druide of Cardiff' was driven ashore on rocks opposite Fore Point, Margate. Subsequent events led to the shaming of Edwin Robert Emptage, second coxswain of the lifeboat Quiver and the awarding of Sea Gallantry medals to Albert John Emptage and six others. Did Edwin deserve to be pilloried or were political forces at work, using him as scapegoat?

The beginning of the DNA Study, Jan '17

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.

The Body In The Canal, Mar '18

Twelve year old Peter Emptage made a grim discovery when he opened a sack he found floating in the Grand Union canal

The Bravery of Two Emptage Brothers, Nov '17

Two brothers each saved the life of a child in separate incidents at Margate jetty

The Brigantine Sarah - A Gallant Rescue by the Margate Lifeboat, Apr '18

At a time of severe gales, in January 1871, the Brigatine Sarah, carrying coal, was aground on Margate Sands. The crew of the lifeboat Quiver and a local lugger Ocean went to the rescue.

The Elephant Trainer and the Missing Husband, Feb '21

John William Benjamin Emptage was 20 when he married Emily Dixon Philpott, 17, in 1876 in Margate. In 1881 they were together with their young daughter but, as far as the records show, that was the last time the family was together and John William had disappeared. What had happened to John and what came next for Emily?

The Henry conundrum revisited, Feb '17

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.

The loss of the Friend to All Nations, Apr '18

In 1897 Margate was once again to witness the tragic loss of life of nine of its lifeboat crew. One of the crew was John Benjamin Dike, descended from Henry Emptage and Ann Peal. Albert John Emptage was coxswain of the lifebaot Quiver and was a witness at the inquest and the Board of Trade Inquiry.

The mystery of Emily Henrietta Emptage's marriage, Mar '21

Emily Henrietta Emptage married in Hull in 1886, when she was supposedly 21. Her husband, William Edmonson Chafer jumped ship in Melbourne, Australia in 1887. Emily joined him in there in 1889. But a family myth disputes the facts.

The Origin of the Barbados Emptage/Emtage Family, Oct '17

Barbados is an eastern Caribbean island. It was there that John Emptage married Elizabeth Stafford in 1764 and thus began the Emptage family in Barbados. Over the years, the 'p' was often omitted from the spelling and the name became Emtage.

The Origin of the Emtage family in New Zealand, Jan '21

The spelling of the surname indicates that the Emtages of New Zealand had their origins in Barbados where several of the branches of the Emptage family dropped the ‘p’ from their name. But who was the first Emtage to arrive in New Zealand and set up home? And when did he do so?

The rescue of the Northern Belle and a BBC TV Programme, Mar '22

The story of the rescue of the crew of the Northern Belle and the loss of nine Margate men gets a wider audience.

The Truth Is Out There!, Nov '15

Regular readers of this website will be aware of the incredible effort we put in to researching the facts concerning our ancestors. Of course, the further back we go, the more difficult it becomes. Sometimes we draw reasoned conclusions and other times we may advance an hypothesis based on the somewhat limited evidence we have gathered as we've travelled through time. Roger Emptage has gathered together a number of Emptage strands and presents his hypothesis here. Enjoy!

The wills and testaments of the Emptiach and Colner families, Mar '18

Analysis of the wills and testaments of the Emptiach and the Colner [Culmer] families shows that the members of one family frequently appeared in the wills of the other, either as a beneficiary, as feoffees or as witnesses.

Thomas Emptage, Mar '17

Seeking new opportunities and the chance to own land, in 1835 Thomas and his wife Ann, with their two tiny children, made the long trip from Thanet to Liverpool and then across the Atlantic Ocean to New York. Then followed a journey of 470 miles across country by covered wagon until they arrived in Wyandot County, Ohio.

Thomas Emptage the Younger versus The Navy Board, Nov '15

Thomas was called upon to do his duty and hire out his cutter to the Navy Board, to help service the English fleet at war with France. If you hire something out, you expect to be paid for your time and expenses especially when, during the period of the hire, you've not had any other form of income and have incurred debts on behalf of your country. Thomas, like many other people at the time, found himself having to argue with the Navy Board in order to be paid.

Thomas Emptiage 1509 of Minster-in-Thanet., Apr '18

Was this Thomas, the son of Christina and Michael Emptiach, whose wife was named as Alice by Christina?

Too Many Henrys for Comfort, Jul '13

This is the story of three generations, two couples in each generation and five men named Henry Emptage. Plus conjecture and unsolved conundrums.

Took Life In Lonely Spot, Sep '17

William Emptage, of Mansfield, Ohio, became despondent over his continued bad health which meant that he had been unable to work for some weeks. He decided to end his life.

Tradesman and Driver Fined For Cruelty to Horse, Jul '17

In 1899 William Henry Emptage appeared at the Cinque Port Petty Sessions in Margate charged with working a horse in an unfit state in Birchington.

Vehicle License Offences Lead to Court Appearance, Dec '17

Two Margate men appear in court charged with offences relating to the switching of identification plates and license between two vans

Walter Dansy Emptage, Jun '15

Family poverty following the death of his father when Walter was just one year old probably led to Walter joining the Royal Fusiliers Special Reserve in 1913 when he was 17 and served in World War I. His military career continued when Walter enlisted in the RAF in 1923, serving for four years, including in Palestine. And he was still young enough to serve in the army when war broke out again in 1939. But life for Walter took a darker turn after the war.

Was James the longest living Emptage?, Apr '21

When the average life span for an adult male born in the early 1800s was not much above 50 years, James Robert Emptage defied all the odds and lived to be 101. Was his great age attributable to his genes or to something else?

Who was Susannah le Brush?, Jan '15

Susannah was the 3rd and 4th great grandmother of three of the founding members of this website but who was she? Where did she come from?

Why do a DNA Study?, Nov '17

Our theory is that all those with the name Emptage are descended from the same ancestor who originated in Thanet and we would like to prove it. To do so, we need to connect all the dots or, at least, as many dots as we can but what can we do if the paper trail is lost?

William Alfred Emptage, Mar '18

William Alfred Emptage was 18 when he enlisted in the 3rd Battalion of The East Kent Regiment "The Buffs" in 1900, following his brother Henry Emptage who had joined in 1897. They both saw action in South Africa in the second Boer War. William transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery in 1902. In 1914, by then a reservist, William was one of the first to be called up at the outbreak of war.

William Daubney Emptage, Mar '17

William lied about his age when he joined the Kent Militia and then the 3rd Battalion East Kent "The Buffs" Regiment. He was a career soldier, serving in South Africa, Persia and Singapore. When he left the army he settled in Singapore where he married.

William Henry Emptage - Canadian Pioneer, Feb '14

In 1851 William Henry Emptage signed on with the Hudson Bay Company and sailed to north west America, making the long and perilous journey around Cape Horn. Despite sustaining a life changing injury, he was described as a "colourful and useful man" in the British Columbia Historical Quarterly, October 1945.

Wills Project, Jan '15

The Wills Project is our attempt to transcribe the wills, probate accounts and inventories that we hope will provide insight into the history of our Thanet ancestors.

With Courage, Nothing is Impossible, Jun '13

Those words are inscribed on the RNLI memorial in Poole Dorset. The memorial contains a list of over 800 lifeboat crew and others who have lost their lives whilst endeavouring to save others at sea, together with the places and dates. The names include two members of the Emptage family.

WW1 Military Biographies, Dec '18

We honour the memory of all our ancestors who played their part in World War One at home or away. So we are pleased to present short biographies of all those whose names we have found in the military records.

Yeomen of England, Mar '18

In the wills and testaments of our early Emptage ancestors and in the occupations given in the early parish registers, there are several references to a person being a yeoman. What was a yeoman?

15 Year Old Employee Jailed for Theft, Nov '17

5 weeks to go, Aug '18