HEMPSON, Katharine
Katharine Hempson was born at Hill House, Ramsey Hall, Essex on 21 June 1858, daughter of Amis Hempson (18 September 1827-4 March 1898), a substantial farmer, and his wife Sarah Ann (1830-18 October 1912), only daughter of John Salmon of Great Oakley Lodge, who married at Great Oakley Church, Essex on 26 September 1854. Amis Hempson was a brother to George Davey Hempson, the father of Elizabeth Hempson. In 1861, Katharine was a 2-year-old farmer's daughter, living at Hill House with her parents, 33-year-old Amis and 30-year-old Sarah, and a sibling brother Charles (1856-1896) and they retained four indoor servants, they went on to have two further children, Rose and Amis Ayton. In 1891, Katharine was a 32-year-old, on own means, living at Hill House Farm, High Street, Ramsey with her parents, 63-year-old Amis and 59-year-old Sarah but no siblings. A member of the Ipswich Art Club 1888-1894 and exhibited eight works from Hill House including in 1889 'Mistley from the Cliff' and in 1890, 'On the Side of the Stour'. Her father died at Hill House on 4 March 1898 and in 1911, 52-year-old Katharine was still living at Hill House with her 80-year-old widowed mother, who died on 18 October the following year. In 1939 Katharine Hempson was living at The Street, Tendring, Essex and she died at Holmesdale, Ardleigh, Essex on 12 February 1945, aged 86, she was unmarried.