Gibbs Family Tree

Helen Margaret Leslie, CBE

Female 1905 - 1979  (74 years)


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  • Name Helen Margaret Leslie 
    Suffix CBE 
    Birth 7 Jun 1905  Alexander Square, Kensington, London Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Death 28 Dec 1979  Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial 2 Jan 1980  St. Michael & All Angels, Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • 2nd and youngest daughter of Charles Frederick Henry Leslie of Epcombs, Hertingfordbury, Herts., by Maud, 6th daughter of John Foster of New Hall Grange, Maltby, Yorks (of the family of Foster of Thorne Hall, Yorks); born in Alexander Square, Kensington, 7 June 1905 and baptised at Hertingfordbury. Married 6 October 1926 at St. Mary's, Hertingfordbury. Died 28 December 1979 and buried 2 January 1980 at St. Michael & All Angels, Clifton Hampden.

      C.B.E. (1961). Justice of the Peace for Hertfordshire (1942) and for Oxfordshire (1950).
      1923-78 Various posts with the Girl Guide Association, including County Commissioner, Herts. (1938-46); Chief Commissioner for Overseas Territories (1950-60); Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Commonwealth (1951-54); Vice-Chairman of Executive Committee (1951-54); Member of the Council (1940-77); Vice-President of the Council (1978-79); Delegate to World Conference in Holland (1954); Visitor to the World Conference in Greece (1960); Chairman, Central African Guide Conference in Southern Rhodesia (1956); Chairman, West Indies Federation Guide Conference (1959).

      Member of Village School Committee and Parochial Church Council in Essenden and Cliften Hampden, and a variety of other local committees.

      Silver Fish, 1964.

      Patron of the Living of St. Michael and All Angels, Clifton Hampden, 1976-79.

      In her obituary in The Times of 7 January 1980 a correspondent wrote: 'Lady Gibbs managed the Clifton Hampden estate on her husband's behalf for 30 years, and her real recreation was her interest in, and care of, people; and this included all her neighbours and tenants. In addition, she was a skilful and indefatigable gardener and no mean ornithologist.

      Until a year ago when a fall seriously injured her spine and deprived her of the sight of an eye, she never relaxed, and with her incisive brain she delved deeply into any problem of village life with an efficiency that alarmed the idle and disconcerted the easy-going.

      The rewards of such a life of service were many: a preserved village which became an oasis of beauty with an active church with fabric restored and treasures repaired and recorded; a viable infant school; an invaluable village-hall in excellent repair; and, perhaps most important of all, a family who follow their parents' example in the care of people and places'.

      She gave special support to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and to Missions in Rhodesia where her husband's younger brother, Sir Humphrey Gibbs was Governor 1959-1969.

      Portrait: by Simon Elwes, in possession of Elizabeth Fleming.
    Person ID I1648  Gibbs Family Tree
    Last Modified 1 Oct 2018 

    Father Charles Frederick Henry Leslie,   b. 8 Dec 1861, St George Hanover Square, London Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Feb 1921, 8 Carlos Place, Grosvenor Sq, Mayfair, Westminster, London Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 59 years) 
    Mother Maud Foster,   b. Jan 1868, Laughton En Le Morthen, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Oct 1956, 12 Avenue Rd, St John's Wood, London Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years) 
    Marriage Oct 1887  Kensington, London Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F837  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family The Hon. Sir Geoffrey Cokayne Gibbs, KCMG,   b. 20 Jul 1901, Camfield, Hatfield, Herts Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 6 Jul 1975, Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 73 years) 
    Marriage 6 Oct 1926  St Marys, Hertingfordbury, UK Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. David Charles Leslie Gibbs,   b. 15 Aug 1927, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Nov 2009, Nelson, New Zealand Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years)
     2. Stephen Cokayne Gibbs, OBE,   b. 18 Jul 1929, Epscombs Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Nov 2017, Dougarie, Isle of Arran, Scotland, UK Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years)
     3. Julian Herbert Gibbs,   b. 20 Nov 1932, Essendon, Hertfordshire Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Apr 2021, London Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years)
     4. Sir Roger Geoffrey Gibbs,   b. 13 Oct 1934, Holwell Manor, Hatfield, Hertfordshire Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Oct 2018, London Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)
     5. Christopher Henry Gibbs,   b. 29 Jul 1938, Holwell Manor, Hatfield Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Jul 2018, Tangier, Morocco Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)
     6. Elizabeth Helen Gibbs
    Family ID F757  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 9 Jul 2017 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 7 Jun 1905 - Alexander Square, Kensington, London Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 6 Oct 1926 - St Marys, Hertingfordbury, UK Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 28 Dec 1979 - Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 2 Jan 1980 - St. Michael & All Angels, Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth