L'Enfant Genealogy

The Crabb family married into the L'Enfant family in 1928 when Walter Crabb married Fanny Ivy L'Enfant. The L'Enfant family is presented here dating back to Fanny Ivy's great-grandfather born c. 1800.

History of the L'Enfant Name

Generation 1-2

The family of
JAMES (JAQUES) L'ENFANT
born circa 1796-1801, in "Foreign Parts"
(age given as 40 in 1841 census)
and
MARY HANNER
born circa 1796-1801 in St. Pancras, London
(age given as 40 in 1841 census)

Married 1821, Holborn, St. Andrew
(Source: Pallot's marriage index 1780-1837)

Living in Upper Seymour Street, Marylebone,
London (census 1841)

Information from the 6th June 1841 census follows. Ages above 15 were often rounded down to the nearest five years. The relationships between James, Mary and the children are not provided in the census and so are assumed to be correct. In addition only one forename was captured in the 1841 census.

We speculate that James was born abroad (not in England, Scotland or Ireland) then came to England (London), met Mary and was married.

James and Mary had at least 6 children:

	LUCY born c. 1817-1821 (age given as 20). Lucy L'Enfant is not found in the 1851 census or later. Perhaps she was married.
	JOHN born c. 1822-1826 (age given as 15). In the census of 1851, 1861 and 1871 we find John married to FRANCES who was born in Kent c. 1822-1828. No entry in 1881 census. In 1891 census Frances is found as a widow aged 76 (born c. 1815 in West Malling, Kent) living at 14 Handel Street, Bloomsbury.
	CHARLES born c. 1831 (age given as 10). In the 1851 census we find Charles living at 137 Upper Seymour Street with an adopted son JAMES ALDER L'ENFANT aged 4 (born c. 1847). James Alder is not found in any subsequent census. Charles is not found in the 1861 census.
	JANE born c. 1835 (age given as 6). In the census of 1851 we find Jane listed as a milliner living at St. George, Hannover Square, London. No entry in 1861 census - assumed married.
	ELIZABETH born c. 1836 (age given as 5). Elizabeth is not found in the 1851 census.
	CHRISTIANA born c. 1839 (age given as 2). Christiana is not found in the 1851 census.

James (senior), wife Mary and daughters Elizabeth and Christiana are not found in the 1851 census or any subsequent census. Son Charles is found at the Seymour Street address in 1851 with his adopted son. Perhaps James, Mary and their youngest children moved abroad?

JAMES born c. 1831 (age given as 10). Found in 1841 census as a pupil at the Rectory House Boarding School in Hillingdon. Birthplace given as Middlesex, consistent with the other L'Enfant children. The relationship to this family is only speculation. James is not found in the census of 1851 or 1861.

James L'Enfant born c. 1835 appears in 1871 census as a servant living in Westminster but census suggests he was born in Hampshire although entry is confused.

In 1881 census James L'Enfant born c. 1831 in Middlesex appears as an unemployed dock labourer and the head of a family living in Southampton. Wife's name is FANNY born c. 1843 in Plymouth. The children are:

ELLEN born c. 1869 in Middlesex (not found in 1891 census)

ADA born c. 1872 in Middlesex (not found in 1891 census)

JAMES born c. 1875 in Middlesex (not found in 1891 census)

In 1891 census James John L'Enfant, born January 24th 1831, in St. Pancras appears as a Port Messenger and the head of a family living in Southampton. Wife, FANNY born c. 1843 in Plymouth is listed as a Charwoman. One child is listed:

BERTRAM H. (aged 9) born c. 1882 in Southampton

In 1901 census James J. L'Enfant born appears as a Port Messenger and the head of a family living in Southampton. Wife, FANNY born c. 1843 in Pool, Dorset is listed as a Charwoman. One child is listed:

BERTRAM H. (aged 19) born c. 1882 in Southampton, listed as a Baker

Betram's son, also Bertram Harold, born 1905 was killed during WWII when HMS Hood was sunk on May 24th 1941. Bertram (junior) had a brother, William, and at least one other brother.

Bertam (junior) had a daughter, Patricia. Patrica's daughter is Lorna Halliday (nee Adams).

Generation 2-3

The family of
CHARLES GROSSJEAN REMY L'ENFANT
born circa 1829, St. Pancras, London, died Q3 1904
Accountant in 1851 census
Clerk in Civil Service in 1881 census
Commercial Clerk in 1901 census
and
EMMA (ELLEN?)
born circa 1844, Hackney, London
Bankruptcy Clerk in 1881 census

Married Q3 1865, Marylebone, London

Living at 8, Sedgwick Street, Hackney (census 1881)

Charles and Emma had 6 children:

	CHARLES GROSSJEAN REMY L'ENFANT born c 1866, St Pancras, London, (Chalk Farm - census 1901?) died 7th July 1917 (aged 51) at Metropolitan Hospital, Kingsland Road, Hackney of pneumonia and heart failure. Address at time of death was 43 Redvers St., Hoxton, London. Death notified by Julia L'Enfant (3rd wife). French polisher in 1881 census.
	FLORENCE EMMA born c Q1 1868, St Pancras, London. Married c Q3 1891 in Hackney.
	CHRISTINE born c Q1 1870, South Hackney, London. Died c Q2 1903 in Holborn.
	JOHN ALFRED born c Q4 1871, South Hackney, London. Married June 1894 in Hackney.
	FANNY LOUISA born c Q2 1876, Homerton (Hackney?)
	WILLIAM ANTHONY born Q2 1881 (aged 19 and a Commercial Clerk in 1901 census)

Generation 3-4

Marriage 1 of 3
CHARLES GROSSJEAN REMY L'ENFANT
and
EMMA HAMMOND
born 1866, died c Q1 1904

Married Q2 1886, Hackney, London

Charles and Emma had 5 children:

CHARLES JOSEPH JOHN born December 29th 1890 at 46 Haberdasher Street, Hoxton. Records show he was confirmed into the Church on March 29th 1908 by a Rev. Maynard. He married ADA FLORENCE CRICK. Ada's mother's name was DUNSTER so presumably she remarried after having Ada.

The following information was kindly supplied by Yvonne Grimbly, Charles and Ada's youngest daughter: March 2006.

Ada was an outgoing and lively lady who loved her old time dancing. Ada's mother used to be on the stage at the same shows as Marie Lloyd, the well known Music Hall entertainer. Ada used to play with Marie Lloyd's daughter backstage. Ada's mother (real name Ada) had two stage names: Ada Hayward and Vera Vaughn. One was a comic act and one a serious singing act.

Charles studied sanitary engineering at college before joining the army. He became a sergeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C. (T)) No. 510030. Charles was billeted at Torquay, Devon at one point. He must have experienced some terrible sights during WWI. Daughter Yvonne (see below) remembers Charles talking about the WWI padre and poet Woodbine Willy.

Charles continued his sanitary engineering studies after the war. Before he qualified he was required to go abroad for his last year but decided that was not for him and ended his studies - much to Ada's disappointment as she would have loved to travel.

Charles lived near Torquay for a while after the war and, having ended his studies, worked for a vet. He and Ada then returned to Westcliffe-on-Sea and Charles went into building, painting and decorating. Charles was too old to be called up for WWII and worked night shifts on the switchboard at Southend telephone exchange.

Charles was a religious man, reading his bible every night. He didn't approve of his brother, William, being unmarried and living with Rose (see below) and became estranged from the rest of his family.

Charles died in 1965 after a spell in a home in Westcliffe-on-Sea.

	WILLIAM ARTHUR born c Q2 1893 in Hoxton died in Q2 1950 in Holborn. Lived with ROSE in a tenement building in Holborn at the back of the Gamages department store. Rose had a son who worked either as a coastguard or lighthouse keeper. After William's death Rose went to live with her son.
	EMMA LOUISA born c Q4 1895 in Shoreditch.
	DORA MABEL born c Q1 1900 in Shoreditch married JAMES HERBERT.
	FANNY IVY born May 3rd 1902 in Shoreditch. Married WALTER HENRY CRABB in 1928.

Emma L'Enfant pictured here with daughter Hilda on her lap. Married name was Biggins. Hilda's married name was King. Ivy standing at the back on the right. George Robert (see below), Sarah Elizabeth (see below) and George's wife, Charlotte, also pictured.

Generation 3-4

Marriage 2 of 3
CHARLES GROSSJEAN REMY L'ENFANT
and
SARAH ELIZABETH ALISON
married November 26th 1905, St. James, Shoreditch
(Charles was 39 and Sarah was 37)

Charles and Sarah had 2 children:

	GEORGE ROBERT born 19th May 1906 in Shoreditch. Army man - spent most of his life in India.
	SARAH ELIZABETH born 9th December 1908 in Shoreditch.

George pictured here with sister Sarah Elizabeth L'Enfant in 1921/22. George was on his first leave from the Tank Regiment training at Bovingdon in Dorset. Sarah was still in the Hornchurch Cottage Homes. Sarah's married name was Mobbs.

Generation 3-4

Marriage 3 of 3
CHARLES GROSSJEAN REMY L'ENFANT
and
JULIA ?
married circa 1914

Charles and Julia had no known children.

Following the death of Charles Grossjean Remy L'Enfant in July 1917 (aged 51), on 15th November 1917, Julia L'Enfant and Ellen L'Enfant of 69 Beaconsfield Road, South Tottenham, London (Julia's mother-in-law), consigned George Robert L'Enfant (aged 11) and Sarah Elizabeth L'Enfant (aged 9) to the Shoreditch Workhouse. The same day they were transferred to the Hornchurch Cottage Homes.

Fanny Ivy (age 15) went into Service.

George left the home on 2nd May 1921 and joined the Tank Regiment in Bovingdon, Dorset for training. Sarah remained until she was 16 in 1924. Sarah met her future husband, WILLIAM MOBBS, at the Cottage Homes.

Generation 4-5

CHARLES JOSEPH JOHN L'ENFANT
and
ADA FLORENCE CRICK
born Q2 1893, Shoreditch, London
died 27th November 1952 of bronchial pneumonia

Lived at 48 Flemming Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Charles and Ada had 4 children:

The following information was kindly supplied by Yvonne Grimbly, Charles and Ada's youngest daughter: March 2006

ISOBEL ADA ("BELLA") born 26th January 1914; died 31st May 1974. Isobel suffered from a weak heart after contracting Rheumatic Fever in her late teens.

Bella is pictured here in 1916 and again on August 3rd 1920.

Bella pictured (c. 1920) on a boat with Fanny Ivy L'Enfant on the left of the picture and her mother, Ada, on the right.

Bella married REG BUTTON in 1938 but separated towards the end of WWII. Before the war Reg was in the air force reserves and was called up to become a rear gunner, stationed in Scotland. Reg was shot down several times in the English Channel but survived the war despite having one of the most dangerous jobs on an aircraft.

Bella had to give up her bungalow in Southend during the war (it was too near the airfield) and was later evacuated to Birmingham to work in an ammunitions factory. She became a ardent supporter of Aston Villa FC.

Reg died later of cancer in Westcliffe-on-Sea, Southend in the 1950s.

Second marriage was to JIM WILSON in 1957 and they lived at 58 Townsend Street, Birkenhead. Jim was a professional and competitive ballroom dancer. Bella shared this interest in dancing but not so much the competitive side.

Bella had no children but was Godmother to nephew John Holmes (see below).

EMMA LOUISE ("LOUISE") born 30th November 1917; died March 1977.

Louise pictured here in c 1922 and also with Bella and their mother, Ada. Second picture possibly taken in Torquay, a place that Ada loved to visit.

Before the end of WWII Louise became engaged to a Charlie but this ended before they were married.

Louise loved dancing but was also an active horse rider, tennis player and swimmer.

Louise married PERCY GILBERT HOLMES a furniture retailer (Holmes Bros. established 1921) on 28th November 1942. They lived in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Percy died on 1st January 1998.

CHARLES WILLIAM born 29th June 1927.

Charles was baldly scalded at the age of 3 in an accident at home and had to undergo skin grafts, spending weeks in a London children's hospital.

Charles was evacuated from 1940 to 1942 to Bradbourne in Derbyshire with sister Yvonne (see below).

Charles worked on the Observer newspaper in Fleet Street before his national service. The Observer promised to keep a reporting job open for him when he finished in the army. On leave from the army he discovered a close friend, Paul, had married and moved to South Africa. Paul encouraged Charles, by letter, to join him in South Africa which he did in 1948 when he was demobbed.

Initially Charles worked for a newspaper in South Africa and then moved to a German engineering firm. On a visit to Germany with the company he gave up his job and went into teaching English at a German college. Hedvig, his future wife, was one of the students. Charles married HEDVIG in 1954 and came home to visit family the same year.

Charles and Hedvig returned to South Africa. Charles subsequently worked in the computer industry and then worked for himself in the software business. Hedvig died in 2005. They had no children.

YVONNE JOAN born 5th February 1930.

Yvonne was evacuated during WWII with brother Charles to Bradbourne, Derbyshire on Sunday 2nd June 1940 travelling by train from Southend station with hundreds of other children. Charles returned home in 1942 but Yvonne stayed on in Derbyshire and didn't return until 1945.

After the war and aged only 16, Yvonne remembers travelling on her own to visit her L'Enfant aunts and cousins in Forest Gate, London. (This would have been at either 93 or 94 Capel Road. In 1946 Emma lived at 93 with son Arthur and his wife, Kathy. Sarah, William and their family lived at 94). This was expressly against her father's wishes who had become estranged from his siblings (see above). Sadly there was no further contact after this visit.

Yvonne married FRED GRIMBLY in 1958 having met at the Post Office where she worked. They moved to Colchester (taken there with Fred's job at the National Assistance Board, following closure of the Colonial Office in 1960) and then Great Gransden followed by Cambridge and then South Shields (in 1988) where Fred's sister lived. Fred's mother died in Basildon, Essex on Good Friday 1988.

On Fred's death, Yvonne moved to Derbyshire to be near the family that looked after her so well during her evacuation and now (2006) lives opposite their daughter, Joan (born 1949), who was named after Yvonne.

Yvonne and Fred had no children.

Generation 5-7

EMMA LOUISE L'ENFANT
and
PERCY GILBERT HOLMES

Emma and Percy had two children:

	JOHN HOLMES - born 24th January 1947. Presenter on BBC Radio Nottingham and previously BBC Radio Derby. Married KATHLEEN JOSEPHINE MELBOURNE on 28th August 1968. They have three children and four grandchildren (2006).
	PETER HOLMES - born 21st April 1952 in Leigh-on-Sea. Former presenter on Essex FM, Breeze AM and Classic Gold. Married BARBARA WILDING on 7th June 1984. They have three daughters (2006).

Generation 4-5

EMMA LOUISA L'ENFANT
and
ARTHUR BIGGINS

Arthur worked for United Dairies.

Emma and Arthur had 2 children:

	HILDA
	ARTHUR - lived in Grays, Essex. Married KATHY. Suffered from mental illness later in life.

Generation 5-8

HILDA BIGGINS
died 19th October 1996
and
NIGEL KING
died 1st February 2004

Hilda and Nigel met while both serving in the Royal Air Force. They lived in Hordle, near Lymington, Hampshire. Nigel's father (Fred?) owned his own coach business (Oakley Coaches).

Hilda and Nigel had 3 children:

MICHAEL born 1945. Married Andrea (div.). Married Stella 2005.

FAY born 1969

EMMA born 1971

ELAINE married COLIN CROUCHER

KIM born 1970

LUKE born 2000

ELLE born 2002; died 2002

JACK born 2004

KAREN (div.)

SOPHIE born 1995

JANICE married Peter (div.) Married JOHN PEARSON. Living in Yorkshire. No children.

Generation 4-5

GEORGE ROBERT L'ENFANT
and
CHARLOTTE

George and Charlotte had 7 children:

	JOAN born c. 1929
	CHARLES born c. 1932
	ALBERT WILLIAM born 10th June 1935
	JAMES ROBERT born 26th June 1937
	WILLIAM GEORGE born 2nd December 1938
	GEORGE FREDERICK born 31st January 1940
	GERALD ALBERT born India 18th December 1943

	George Robert L'Enfant. Pictured in 1934 with wife Charlotte, daughter Joan (born c. 1929) and eldest son, Charlie (born c. 1932). Daughter Joan eventually emigrated to Perth, Western Australia.
	Charlotte pictured with her six sons c. 1944/45 around the time they returned to the UK from India. From L-R George, William, Albert, Charlie and James. The youngest son, Gerald, sitting on his mother's lap was born in 1943 in India and is known to have returned to the UK in 1945.
.	George L'Enfant (far right) pictured in 1971 with adults (L-R) Walter Henry Crabb, Fanny Ivy Crabb (nee L'Enfant), Pat Mobbs and an unknown friend of George from India. The children are (L-R) Helen Mobbs, Nigel Crabb (aged 9), Sarah Mobbs and Alison Mobbs.

Generation 5

JOAN L'ENFANT

Joan's married name is Russell. Joan and family live in Perth, Western Australia.

	Joan Russell (nee L'Enfant), daughter of George pictured here with Gerald Mobbs, her cousin. Picture taken early 2004 in Perth, Western Australia.
	Joan's son, William Russell, his 2nd wife Janet and their son Matthew. Picture taken early 2004 in Perth, Western Australia.
	Joan's family. Picture taken 2001 in Perth, Western Australia.

Generation 5-6

ALBERT WILLIAM L'ENFANT
and
MARIL FAYE PRIMROSE MALPAS
married 25th March 1961
(Maril born 1st January 1940, died 2nd September 1990)

Albert and Maril have two sons:

	MARK ALBERT born 16th June 1968 (adopted)
	ADAM WILLAM born 7th August 1974

Generation 6-7

MARK ALBERT L'ENFANT
and
PAULA WINDSOR
married 3rd May 2003

Mark and Paula have one child:

JACK born 9th April 2004

Generation 6-7

ADAM WILLIAM L'ENFANT
and
AMY DEVENPORT
married 29th August 2003

Adam has one child:

NAOMI born 9th November 1995

Generation 5-6

JAMES ROBERT L'ENFANT
and
JANET BROOKS
married 3rd July 1962

.	James Robert L'Enfant is sitting on the far right. On the left is William Russell, son of Joan. In the middle is their cousin Gerald Mobbs , son of Sarah Elizabeth. Picture taken early 2004 in Perth, Western Australia.

James and Janet have two children:

	STEPHEN born 18th February 1968
	SHARON born 5th November 1970

Generation 6-7

STEPHEN L'ENFANT
and
ANITA CLARE RUSSELL
married 15th July 1995
(Anita is Joan Russell's granddaughter and Stephen's 2nd cousin)

Stephen and Anita have one child:

CHARLOTTE VERONICA born 21st December 2003

Generation 6-7

SHARON L'ENFANT
and
STEVEN ALEXANDER CHARLES HERBERT

Sharon and Steven have two children:

	ZACHARY HARRY ALEX born 11th July 2001
	VICTORIA GEORGINA ELOISE born 5th August 2003

Generation 5-6

WILLIAM GEORGE L'ENFANT
and
CHRISTINE ELIZABETH CHAMBERLAIN
married 19th March 1966

William and Christine have two sons:

	SIMON DAVID born 30th May 1973
	NICHOLAS WILLIAM born 23rd December 1975

Generation 6

SIMON DAVID L'ENFANT
and
TANBY JANE TATTERSALL
(Divorced)

Generation 6-7

SIMON DAVID L'ENFANT
and
LINDA TRACY PAULL

Simon and Linda have two sons:

	GEORGE DAVID MICHAEL born 12th September 2002
	JACK DANIEL born 15th September 2003

Generation 6-7

NICHOLAS WILLIAM L'ENFANT
and
CHLOE ALISON BARKER

Nicholas and Chloe have three children:

	FAYE DANIELLE ROSE born 23rd November 1997
	NICHOLE JORDON born 1st January 2001
	SY RICHARD born 27th August 2002

Generation 5-6

GEORGE FREDERICK L'ENFANT
and
ANN COOPER
married 28th July 1962

George and Ann have two children:

	ALAN GEORGE born 30th September 1969
	JULIE ANN born 30th October 1974

Generation 6-7

JULIE ANN L'ENFANT
and
STEVEN RYCROFT
married 2000

Julie and Steven have two children:

	ASTON LEWIS born 8th January 1997
	MADDISON MAY born 30th September 2003

Generation 5-6

GERALD ALBERT L'ENFANT
and
KATHLEEN HAZEL LINK
married 5th December 1964
live in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, UK

Gerald and Kathleen on their wedding day, 1964

Gerald and Kathleen have two sons:

	ADRIAN born 23rd November 1970
	JULIAN born 22nd August 1974. Julian lives and works in Canada.

Generation 6-7

ADRIAN L'ENFANT
and
KAREN BETH SMART

Adrian and Karen have two children:

	AIMEE BETH born 20th May 1997
	BLAZE ROBERT born 15th June 2001

Generation 4-5

SARAH ELIZABETH L'ENFANT
and
WILLIAM MOBBS
(born 23rd May 1910, died 27th February 1965)
married 25th July 1937

Sarah and William had 2 children:

	GERALD NORMAN born 3rd May 1938
	MARGARET ELIZABETH born 26th July 1943 died 7th June 1944

Generation 5-6

GERALD NORMAN MOBBS
and
PATRICIA GILLIAN NEWMAN
(born 22nd January 1940)
married 9th June 1962

Gerald and Patricia met through association with the Hornchurch Cottage Homes where their parents had lived. They have 3 children:

	ALISON MARGARET born 29th July 1966
	HELEN PATRICIA born 20th November 1967
	SARAH ELIZABETH born 30th November 1969