Willingale Genealogy

I thought I’d do a quick blog on our research over the past year. We made major progress on proving all Willingales are related with the moving of the Samuel & Charles branches over to the main family tree, although the DNA Surname project results for the Charles branch are still somewhat confusing. Back in […]

As a young whippersnapper- as my father would have said – I was told of a legendary figure who was a lopper and had fought for the freedom of Epping Forest. The legend was sketchy, but hinted at harsh imprisonment and consequential death. It may have been knowledge of this legend, or perhaps just natural curiosity, that caused me to arrive in the village of Willingale late on one damp January afternoon in 1971, with patchy snow on the ground, to start a search for my roots. The timing had been intended to coincide with pub opening time – as a naval officer I was something of a connoisseur of hostelries – but I was early, the Maltsters Arms was not yet open, and two churches complete with churchyards of tomb stones beckoned as a possibly productive alternative area for research.

Just a reminder that all membership to the Willingale Family Society expires on 31st July. If you have not recently joined or recently renewed your membership then your access to the members’ area of the website will shortly be removed. Please see the membership page for joining/renewal information.