As a young boy it never occurred to me why I didn’t know anything about my paternal grandfather and grandmother. I had always assumed my maternal grandparents were all that I ever had, or ever needed. My father was 52 when I was born and the only relative I ever knew on his side of the family, was his sister, my Aunt Nell. I adored her.

There were the usual family stories that came to the fore on odd occasions, and they usually went in one ear and out the other. The one that did fascinate me though as a child, was that my dad had a twin brother who was called Charles and that he died in the First World War. It intrigued me as I am also a twin. But I transgress, as this is a story about a grandfather and grandmother who I hardly knew existed until only 24 months ago. I had reached the age of 67 and was prompted by a friend to research my ancestors.

Initially I wasn’t too thrilled about wasting time trawling through records as there was always something better to do with my time. But then one cold wet day I sat in my warm study and fired up my computer and looked at all the options available to me. I finally picked Ancestry as it appeared to be the most logical and perhaps easier Family Tree to interpret. As a total amateur I had no idea what I was doing, but sort of messed around not really getting very far and I gave it up for a week or so.

Then I felt guilty about my laziness and I once again sat down at the computer but this time I concentrated on what I needed to do. From those first initial stumblings, something magical happened. All these people came pouring out of the pages of the records as if to say, “please tell our story”.

Two years on and I can honestly say every single minute, and there have been thousands of them, every one of them has been a journey of frustration, indignation, enlightenment, but most of all a journey of love.

Birth: Oxford 7th March 1944.
Occupation: Retired Service Manager Motor Dealerships 20 years and 15 years full time guitarist/singer with own Band.
Interests: Historical Research

Lineage

Henry Emptage 1763-1845 and Susannah Le Brush 1766-1826
Humphrey Emptage 1796-1845 and Isabel Brett c1795-1833
Alfred Burnet Emptage 1831-1875 and Ann P Hopkins 1833-1882
Henry Thomas Emptage 1858-1896 and Malbry Jane Wilson 1869-1952
Edward Lindsey Emptage 1892-1966 and Eileen Smith nee Morris 1910-1996
David Lindsey Emptage b 1944 and Johanna Van Riel b 1954