I am Bob Sheldon and I co-ordinate the SOLE name for those families whose oldest known ancestor originated in Kent and Surrey (including those areas which became part of south London in the 1890s), Sussex and Hampshire. I would be interested to receive any queries from anyone who has found the SOLE (sometimes spelt SOAL(E) or SOUL) name in their family tree and thinks they may have a south-east England connection. Out extensive database may well be able to assist you in your quest and indeed you may have found something that will assist us to connect branches of our many so far unconnected families.

My branch of the name starts back in 1792 with the marriage of Edward SOLE (my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather) and Mercy CHITTENDEN at Monkton in Thanet. So far I have not been able to trace with any certainty who was this Edward, but my thoughts are that he was born in Herne in 1765 as this is not far distant from Chislet. I base this theory on the fact that a Removal Order was issued on 2nd January 1793 by the Churchwardens and Overseers of Monkton to the Churchwardens and Overseers of Chislet requiring that Edward and Mercy be removed to Chislet as their lawful place of settlement. There are no Edwards born in Chislet that would fit the facts but Herne is only two miles distant and the family name was quite common in that village at the time. If anyone can lead me to establishing anything more definite than this I would be grateful.