Who was Ann Elizabeth Epitaux? Unravelling the Epitaux Family Story

Throughout 2024, the Woking Area u3a Genealogy Group embarked on an extraordinary journey when they purchased an needlework sampler at auction, created by Ann Elizabeth Epitaux in 1853. Ann was just nine years old when she made the sampler and 170 years later, it became the focus of a year-long project, culminating with a talk and exhibition held at Surrey History Centre, Woking.

Their research began with a quick look at the 1851 Census, which hinted that Ann's family was no ordinary one. The Epitaux surname is held by approximately 50 people in the world and provided an intriguing family story that would surprise and captivate even the most seasoned researchers in the group.

Ann's father, originally from Switzerland, ran a restaurant in Pall Mall, right at the centre of London life, surrounded by many theatres. Arriving as an immigrant in Victorian London, he used his connections and entrepreneurial skills to create fine dining from breakfast to suppers, also providing a safe haven for solo female diners. Ann's Welsh mother hailed from Monmouthshire, and some of her family had also relocated to London. A world away from her Welsh village she embraced the catering businesses and even took over when her husband died relatively young. Ann had seven siblings, and their lives reflected both the opportunities and hardships of the era.

Ann's Life

The story of Ann Epitaux is one marked by both promise and tragedy. Ann's life, which started well, was on a sad trajectory from the time that she married and had a first child. Widowed when young, and working in the Half Moon Inn in Borough Market as a barmaid, she went on to have three more children, fathers unknown, who all died aged under four months from conditions that are now easily treated.

In her later years, Ann struggled with poverty and eventually found herself at Southwark Infirmary, part of the local workhouse system. She died at 49 and was buried in Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey. Her body, along with six others, was transported via the Necropolis Railway, which was established to transport London's deceased to Brookwood Cemetery in the mid-19th century.

A Tale of Siblings

While Ann's life was marred by hardship, her siblings experienced strikingly different fates. Her brother, Fred, was a respected actor, working alongside Sir Henry Irving and even touring the United States. Meanwhile, Ann's sister, Emma, married Augustus Collet, an eminent surgeon in Worthing, Sussex. Emma and Augustus had twelve children that survived to adulthood, each with diverse paths. Among them was Richard, who became involved with the D'Oyly Carte family, and became a director of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and of a number of prestigious London hotels. Another sister, Hannah, had a precocious start to her life, being hailed for her amateur dramatic skills in performances in London and the Provinces before she was 18 years old. A few years later she gave this life up when she met and married a London draper. With no children of their own they appear to have become surrogate parents to Ann's daughter. Ann's brother Albert, a London clerk, provided similar stability to Fred's daughter whilst he and his actress wife were in demand on the stage. Two siblings died very young and her eldest brother died of consumption aged 26.

Uncovering the Family Legacy

Sally Gardiner Genealogy Group leader with descendants of Albert Epitaux

The Woking u3a Genealogy Group used their collective knowledge and skills to unearth fascinating details about the Epitaux family's restaurant and catering businesses, which were among the first to use an early ice cream-making machine—a novelty at the time, patented by Ann's father. Their investigation led them to the graves of family members at Brompton, Nunhead and Kensal Green Cemeteries, three of London's "Magnificent Seven" Victorian burial grounds.

In November, the group hosted an exhibition launch event at Surrey History Centre where two descendants of Albert Epitaux, Ann's brother were in attendance. They were delighted to hear the journey that the group had been on to uncover the Epitaux family history and were presented with personalised family trees as a keepsake. The display features the sampler alongside comprehensive family history, allowing descendants and the public alike to connect with Ann's legacy and the broader Epitaux story.

For those intrigued by the twists and turns of family history, the Epitaux story is a poignant reminder of the resilience, creativity, and complexity of our ancestors' lives. The free display is on until Tuesday 17 December 2024 in Surrey History Centre's foyer. Be sure to check opening hours in December for stocktaking closures.