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.
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
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?
“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.”
