Helen Margaret Leslie, CBE

1905 - 1979  (74 years)

• Name	Helen Margaret Leslie
  Suffix	CBE
  Birth	7 Jun 1905	Alexander Square, Kensington, London
  Gender	Female
  Death	28 Dec 1979	Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire
  Burial	2 Jan 1980	St. Michael & All Angels, Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire
  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 d. 12 Feb 1921, 8 Carlos Place, Grosvenor Sq, Mayfair, Westminster, London (Age 59 years)
  Mother	Maud Foster,   b. Jan 1868, Laughton En Le Morthen, Yorkshire, England d. 31 Oct 1956, 12 Avenue Rd, St John's Wood, London (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	Oct 1887	Kensington, London
  Family ID	F837	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

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

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 7 Jun 1905 - Alexander Square, Kensington, London Marriage - 6 Oct 1926 - St Marys, Hertingfordbury, UK Death - 28 Dec 1979 - Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire Burial - 2 Jan 1980 - St. Michael & All Angels, Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire  = Link to Google Earth