A Key figure in this history of the Emmotts of Revel Knoll is James Emmott
who was born at Wilsden 21 .6.1798, the eldest son of James and Sarah and the first of his line in 200 years to be born outside Cowling. His diary and accounts which have been handed down reveal the hardships of life in the 19th Century and the fervour of Non Conformist religion.

Register No. 60 Yorkshire in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, which records Births and Baptisms at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Wilsden, founded about 1763, was sent to the Commissioners from the custody of James Emmott of Wilsden - Society Steward 26 .7.1837.

We are indeed fortunate that James should have occupied this post of Steward and his strong sense of family pride is witnessed by entry No.2 in the register which records the birth of his son “James Anderson Emmott the son of James Emmott Grocer and of Elizabeth daughter of Francis and Martha Butterfield born 19 Feb 1822 baptised 21 Feb 1822”. The birth was also noted as registered at Harden and at the Register Office London FO .365. No. 2917. In the margin of the register James recorded his ancestors as follows: -

James A the son of James born 19.2.1822.
James the son of James born 21 .6.1798.
James the son of Christopher born 14.5.1775.
Christopher the son of James born 19.8.1739.
James the son of James born 1687.
James the son of James born 1649.
James the son of James born 1615.

Without this entry it is probable that this history would never have been pursued even if it had been possible. As will be seen later the legend was not complete. James born in 1687 only survived the birth of his son James in 1709 by a few months and it was James born 1709 that was the father of Christopher.

The details prior to 1687 will be shown to be inaccurate and supporting evidence will take the history back to the marriage of John Ernmott and Isabella Curror at Kildwick Parish Church on 9.12.1583.

2. The writer does not aspire to penetrate the mists of antiquity as did the late T.C. Emmott in his book “Eamot Eternal” but the following quotation from the “Annals of Come” by James Carr indicates that Emmott nr Colne is the ancestral home of most individuals bearing the name of Emmott.

“Saxon Chronicle and Florence of Worcester bear testimony to the great King Athelstan one of the bravest of the Saxon Kings himself confirming a treaty of peace between the Welsh Scots and Northumbrians” at a place called EAMOT on the fourth before the Ides of July A .D. 926. Where EAMOT was situate the Chroniclers do not say but Mr. Wilkinson in the papers which I have before quoted says it can be scarcely doubted that it is Emmott near Come. “Enunott” says he 11j~ derived from EA q water and MUTT - mouth indicating the mouth of the water’ and in the Emmott near Colne, the etymological requirements of the name are precisely answered by the fact that there is a well close to the hail called the tSaints Well? which to this day pours fort an abundant supply of pure water. “And further” adds Mr. Wilkinson “it cannot be urged that the family is too modem for according to Dr. Whitaker the ancestry is too ancient for gene. logists to trace
The “Annals of Caine” relate that the name of Emmott appears frequently in early records of Caine and that in 1310 Robert de Emot built a house at Emmott. Obscure tradition says that there was a Duc de Emot with William the Conqueror and there is indeed a monument to a Marquis d tEmot at the Church of St. Gudule in Brussels.

Cowling, originally in the Parish of Kildwick is only a few miles from Emmott and from Come. There is no record of Emmotts at Cowling in early Subsidy Rolls but a number of families are revealed in the early records of Kildwick Parish Church which commence in 1575. It seems reasonable to believe that they originated from Emmott or Come and the will of Thomas Emmott of Emmott who was buried 23.10.1619 at Come leaves to his son George his Wains, ploughs, etc., at Kildwick. George had a son John who may wcll have been John Emmott of Stott Hill.

In the early Parish Registers and indeed in individual wills the spelling of the name has many variations, Emott is common at first and Emmott later but it is almost always spelt with an o.

3. Perhaps someone more competent than the writer will one day assess the age of the building. There are some enormous boulders forming the foundations at the eastern end and indications of a fireplace similar Perhaps someone more competent than the writer will to that at Wycollar Hall although the recess has been filled in. Many farmhouses on the opposite side of tie valley have Emmott associations and mostly date from the end of the 17th Century, a period when much similar building was taking place in the Yorkshire dales. Two of these can be identified through date stones with the great grandsons of John and Isabel.

Births of the following children of John and Isabel are recorded in the Kildwick Parish Register and marriages and deaths as extracted are also given where
reasonably substantiated.
 

In Christopher’s will reference is made to his brother John’s tenancy of Cowlaughton but there is no evidence that any of John & Isabel’s sons married or had children with the exception of Christopher.

Christopher Emmott

Christopher must have been around 30 when he married Agnes although the marriage is not recorded. The following births are recorded
 

Agnes the wife of Christopher was buried 23.11.1640 and a year later 23.11.1641 Christopher married Margaret Shaw and had the following children
 

In addition there is reference in Christopher’s will of a base son.

The will was made in 1658 “being now grown unto great years and not like to live long”.

Christopher lived another 15 years before dying at the age of 87. He was buried 25.9.1673 paterfamilias of Cowling, Senex. Margaret was buried 28.10.1680.

Christopher could only make his mark to his will which was witnessed by James Emmott of Gill. James witnessed numerous Emmott wills of the period as can be clearly seen from his distinctive signature but any relationship is at present obscure. The other witness was John Emmott.