Powys-Lybbe Forbears - Person Sheet
Powys-Lybbe Forbears - Person Sheet
NameSerena Margaret Stopford 
[3, Birth, Q2 of 1939, Droxford dist, vol 2C, p. 263]
[3, Birth, Q2 of 1939, Droxford dist, vol 2C, p. 263]Birthca May 1939, Droxford district, Hants
Death29 May 2015, Allergarth, Burswell Villas, Hexham, Northumberland
GeneralOnly dau., 1st child. Marriage to Christopher Holmes not found.
FatherCapt James Coverley Stopford RN (1909-1985)
MotherKatherine Sheila Hope Macleod (1909-1986)
Spouses
Notes for Serena Margaret Stopford
Her birth index:
First name(s) Serena M
Last name Stopford
Birth quarter 2
Birth year 1939
Mother's maiden name McLeod
District Droxford
County Hampshire
Country England
Volume 2C
Page 263
Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006
________________
BP reports: “Serena Margaret [Mrs Christopher Holmes, Allergarth, Burswell Villas, Hexham, Northumberland]; b 5 April 1939; m 24 Oct 1964 F/Lt Christopher H M Holmes, RAF, est son of W/Cdr K E M Holmes, RAF, of Rochesters, Great Leighs, Essex, and has:
1 Andrew David; b 11 Sept 1965
2 Richard Mark; b 20 July 1967
1 Bridget Constantia; b 20 July 1967”
________________
But no marriage can be found for her either on FindMyPast or on Ancestry.
Similarly FreeBMD shows no marriage between a Stopford and a Holmes from 1955 to 1975.
However these Holmes births are the only ones that can be found with a mother’s maiden name of Stopford:
Last name First name(s) Year Of Birth Location Q Vol Page
Holmes Andrew D 1965 Colchester, Essex 3 1A 1304
Holmes Bridget Constancia 1967 Singapore
Holmes Richard Mark 1967 Singapore
And Serena M Holmes is to be found on the Electoral rolls at the above address from 2002 to 2015
So I will add in her children as there is some documentation for them but not her husband as his only appearance in public documents were in the London Gazette:
Published on 21 June 1955:
Promotion:
Pilot Officer to Flying Officer:
C. H. M. Holmes (2452511) (14th Apr 1955)
Published on 19th June 1959
Promotion
Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant :
C. H. M. Holmes (2452511) 14th Apr. 1959 (seniority 14th Apr. 1958).
Published on 4th March 1969:
“Retirement
“Flight Lieutenants :
“D. V. KING (3121126). 7th Feb. 1969.
“C. H. M. HOLMES (2452511). 21st Feb. 1969.”
Though the father would of course be identified in the birth certificates of the children (at £11 per child). But the first certificate, for Andrew D Holmes? Done on 6 Jan 2022.
____________________
A further investigation found that there was a probate for a Christopher Henry Maxwell Holmes of Nether Staples Steel Hexham Northumberland who died on 4 February 1978. This was an admin with will so it may be possible to get a copy of the will.
____________________
A probate has been found that must be hers but no death index found the the GRO online index. It is possible that she died abroad.
____________________
First name(s) Serena M
Last name Stopford
Birth quarter 2
Birth year 1939
Mother's maiden name McLeod
District Droxford
County Hampshire
Country England
Volume 2C
Page 263
Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006
________________
BP reports: “Serena Margaret [Mrs Christopher Holmes, Allergarth, Burswell Villas, Hexham, Northumberland]; b 5 April 1939; m 24 Oct 1964 F/Lt Christopher H M Holmes, RAF, est son of W/Cdr K E M Holmes, RAF, of Rochesters, Great Leighs, Essex, and has:
1 Andrew David; b 11 Sept 1965
2 Richard Mark; b 20 July 1967
1 Bridget Constantia; b 20 July 1967”
________________
But no marriage can be found for her either on FindMyPast or on Ancestry.
Similarly FreeBMD shows no marriage between a Stopford and a Holmes from 1955 to 1975.
However these Holmes births are the only ones that can be found with a mother’s maiden name of Stopford:
Last name First name(s) Year Of Birth Location Q Vol Page
Holmes Andrew D 1965 Colchester, Essex 3 1A 1304
Holmes Bridget Constancia 1967 Singapore
Holmes Richard Mark 1967 Singapore
And Serena M Holmes is to be found on the Electoral rolls at the above address from 2002 to 2015
So I will add in her children as there is some documentation for them but not her husband as his only appearance in public documents were in the London Gazette:
Published on 21 June 1955:
Promotion:
Pilot Officer to Flying Officer:
C. H. M. Holmes (2452511) (14th Apr 1955)
Published on 19th June 1959
Promotion
Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant :
C. H. M. Holmes (2452511) 14th Apr. 1959 (seniority 14th Apr. 1958).
Published on 4th March 1969:
“Retirement
“Flight Lieutenants :
“D. V. KING (3121126). 7th Feb. 1969.
“C. H. M. HOLMES (2452511). 21st Feb. 1969.”
Though the father would of course be identified in the birth certificates of the children (at £11 per child). But the first certificate, for Andrew D Holmes? Done on 6 Jan 2022.
____________________
A further investigation found that there was a probate for a Christopher Henry Maxwell Holmes of Nether Staples Steel Hexham Northumberland who died on 4 February 1978. This was an admin with will so it may be possible to get a copy of the will.
____________________
A probate has been found that must be hers but no death index found the the GRO online index. It is possible that she died abroad.
____________________
Will notes for Serena Margaret Stopford
Her very probable probate index:
Probate
Surname First name Date of probate number Date of death Document type Registry
HOLMES SERENA MARGARET 21 December 2015 4747528 02 May 2015 Grant and will Newcastle Upon Tyne
Ordered, just the job.
No death index found so when the will arrives, with the year and place of birth known from her birth registration, this can be reported to the GRO as a missing item.
_________________
In her probate grant her death date was amended to 29th May 2015, she was of, and presumably died at, Allergarth, Buswell Villas, Hexham, Northumberland and her net estate was £652,685.
In her will dated 4th January 1994 she was at the same address and appointed two solicitors as her executors, both being based in Hexham and the first of these was appointed the sole executor in 2015.
In her will she mentions her children and grandchildren but, remarkably, names none of them. So we stoop right here and hope that the will of her reported husband makes the family a little clearer.
_________________
Further note after receiving her reported husband’s will:
In this will Serena was reported to be the wife of her husband and named as such. Further she was allowed to be executor, the appointed bank having renounced the role (possibly because his estate was rather small and would have been slaughtered by the bank’s fees) and finally he provided that if she survived him, she was to have all his real and personal property absolutely,
This makes it hugely likely that he, Christopher Henry Maxwell Holmes, was her husband and that he should be entered as such, in spite of the fact that I cannot find any formal marriage.
_________________
Probate
Surname First name Date of probate number Date of death Document type Registry
HOLMES SERENA MARGARET 21 December 2015 4747528 02 May 2015 Grant and will Newcastle Upon Tyne
Ordered, just the job.
No death index found so when the will arrives, with the year and place of birth known from her birth registration, this can be reported to the GRO as a missing item.
_________________
In her probate grant her death date was amended to 29th May 2015, she was of, and presumably died at, Allergarth, Buswell Villas, Hexham, Northumberland and her net estate was £652,685.
In her will dated 4th January 1994 she was at the same address and appointed two solicitors as her executors, both being based in Hexham and the first of these was appointed the sole executor in 2015.
In her will she mentions her children and grandchildren but, remarkably, names none of them. So we stoop right here and hope that the will of her reported husband makes the family a little clearer.
_________________
Further note after receiving her reported husband’s will:
In this will Serena was reported to be the wife of her husband and named as such. Further she was allowed to be executor, the appointed bank having renounced the role (possibly because his estate was rather small and would have been slaughtered by the bank’s fees) and finally he provided that if she survived him, she was to have all his real and personal property absolutely,
This makes it hugely likely that he, Christopher Henry Maxwell Holmes, was her husband and that he should be entered as such, in spite of the fact that I cannot find any formal marriage.
_________________