Hi Andrea, I've done some more research and it looks like we were both right. I've traced the WHELPDALE name back to Little Salkeld, a tower or castle belonging to that name, built in Cumbria in the early 12 th century. So that ties the name firmly to northern England. On the other hand, the book, London's East End and Traditions states " ... Huguenots came from all walks of life but most had established skills; there were clock and instrument makers who congregated in Clerkenwell ..." and I've the story of my grandmother WHELPDALE's French clockmaker ancestors. Interestingly, I also got as far as the WHELPDALE name being mentioned in "Refuges of the French Revolution: émigrés in London", 1879-1802 by Kirsty Carpenter. Unfortunately, the book is housed in the Book Stacks at the University of Nevada, which is a good hike from Toronto! I'll see if I can hunt it down in the stacks at the University of Toronto. I still think there was WHELPDALE movement between England and France before the Revolution, as it apparently is in the French Dictionary of Surnames. I found a "De Whelpdale" 19th century UK lists, but I think it is more recent. I haven't tracked down anyone who married into the WHELPDALE family as their maiden names don't seem to be listed where I can find them. I have my grandmother Whelpdale's Maltese Cross earrings, although I am questionable about their Huguenot origin. I recently found some letters to my mother from her cousin Charles WHELPDALE written between 1975 and 1978. He remarks on not having seen her for fifty years and over the next three years tells the whereabouts of his siblings. Several were (and may have descendants) in Malta, but there does not seem to be a residential telephone directory on the Web for Malta, so that may be hard to track now. On the other hand, he and his family visited Bethnal Green in the twenties, and the Maltese Cross earrings may have been a gift from his parents to my grandmother then or even earlier. In the Census of 1881 a Charles WHELPDALE is listed (born 1774) and he is probably the father of my uncle Charles. I have a feeling he married a Maltese woman and probably moved there (Charles refers to his own "dusky" looks conflicting with his east London accent). It is obvious that I have more work to do. Upon close examination under a magnifying glass and comparing the Maltese Cross earrings to the photos/illustrations kindly sent me by Jim (James E.) Roberts, there are no rounded points on the ends of the crosses, although there appears to be Fleur De Lys between each section of the cross and the remains of a pendant at the bottom of each earring. At this point, I am going to assume that they are probably less than a hundred years old and were a gift to my grandmother. Geneology is a bit like the game of Bridge. The more you know, the more you learn there is to know. It's a fascinating game, however, and to think, this started with me wanting to find out if my ancestor, Alfred WHELPDALE, survived his transportation to Australia! Thank you for your generous input (all who responded). I shall keep you posted. Lynne Hurry > Hi Lynn -- so much fun (and frustrating too!) speculating about our > ancestors, isn't it?? If they only knew!! You're right that the Whelpdale > name sounds so English -- it does...but then there are those Abraham and > Isaac names that I just have a gut feeling about. Notice that the mother's > name was not mentioned. Perhaps it was her family that was Huguenot or > Walloon and she married into the Whelpdales. I wish you good luck and hope > you'll post again when you learn any new info. Best, Andrea > > -----Original Message----- > From: Lynne Hurry <alacrity@idirect.com> > To: > <HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: August 8, 2000 9:01 PM > Subject: Re: [HWE] WHELPDALE or De WHELPDALE surname > > > >Thank you Jan, Andrea and Jim. I have a lot to learn yet. I bought Cyndi's > >List but havent' really penetrated it yet and haven't fully learned how to > >use the web facilities (obviously). I will get off my surf board and > trying > >reading a book first. I will also try those connects as well. > > > >As far as the WHELPDALE name being Huguenot, I have my doubts as well. The > >name sounds awfully English to me. Maybe it is Walloon, I don't know yet. > I > >have the stories of my French ancestory, a long history of protestantism, > >the Maltese Cross Earrings (with remains of clips for pendant) and a lot of > >questions. I think the name is probably Norman-influenced and I wouldn't > be > >surprise if there was a good deal of WHELPDALE movement between England and > >France in medieval times, somehow got the "de" and then had to hop it back > >to England during the difficulties, dropping the "de" at some point. I > >wouldn't be surprised if a branch went back to France and then had to skip > >back again during the Revolution. Time will undoubtedly tell. Thanks > again > >for your help. > > > >Lynne > > > > > >==== HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE Mailing List ==== > >To unsubscribe (if you are in list mode), > >type and send only the word unsubscribe to: > >HUGUENOTS-WALLOONS-EUROPE-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > >============================== > >Search ALL of RootsWeb's mailing lists in real time. > >RootsWeb's Personalized Mailing Lists: > >http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > >