The Kent History and Library Centre at Maidstone holds the county’s archives, including a large collection of wills.

We are currently transcribing 39 Emptage wills and probate accounts and 11 inventories, dated between 1489 and 1732, all from Kent, most of them from Thanet (including the earliest).

In this way, not only do we hope to be able to take our family back before the start of the parish registers, but also to match some of the early parish register entries into family groups.

The Olde English writing, in Olde English language makes transcribing the wills a very long process which easily strains the eyesight but we think it is a worthwhile project.

Watch this space!