The LACROIX Family
George Perry senior1 was the 6th great grandfather of Michael Gregory. He married Lydia Anne Lacroy(a) and that couple's marriage
took place on the 1st January 1765 at Chapel Hill, Monmouthshire. This spelling of Lydia’s surname is one of many variants
encountered during this research. When searching for instances of the name, all the reasonable variants of Croix, Lacroix and
Delacroix have been considered.
According to Professor Hugh Torrens (see Perry Family History Report), Lydia’s death was reported in Billinge’s Liverpool
Advertiser on the 16th February 1801. She was said to have died on the 8th of that month. Professor Torrens also discovered that she
was buried with her husband at the Presbyterian Chapel at Toxteth. Also commemorated there, on the same memorial as Lydia and
George Perry, was Lydia’s father, Peter Lacroy, who died on the 22 nd November 1788, aged 84. Peter Lacroy was found to have left a
will which was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. This document was written on the 10th March 1784. He was described
as being a barber and peruke maker, late of Hearn, Kent, but now residing in Liverpool. The executor and sole beneficiary of this will
was Peter’s daughter, Lydia Anne Perry, who was by then a widow, her husband George having died in 1771. The will was witnessed
by James Pilling and John Rose.
A codicil to Peter's will was added on the 30th April 1784. This stipulated that Lydia should dispose of her legacy in three equal parts.
After her death, the bequest should be left to Peter’s granddaughter, Sarah Thomassin de Trabraise, and his two grandsons, William
and George Perry. A further codicil of the same date and addressed to his granddaughter served to clarify the ownership of the
testator’s holdings of New South Sea annuities. He stated that £800 had been funded with his own money and £200 of ‘your Aunt
Perry’. This presumably meant Lydia. Probate was granted on the 4th March 1799 to Lydia Anne Perry, widow.
The above bequests, and in particular the wording of the second codicil, seem to indicate that Peter had at least one child other than
Lydia. This child would have been the parent of Sarah de Trabraise. Lydia’s will confirmed this, as she asked her two sons to make
enquiries to discover whether her niece, named as Sarah, was still living. This was presumably so that the wishes of her father could be
fulfilled and his bequest passed on to Sarah.
It has not been possible to trace either this granddaughter, Sarah Thomassin de Trabraise, nor any further offspring of Peter Lacroy
who may have been her father or mother. No baptism or marriage has been found for Sarah on the IGI and no burial is listed on the
National Burial Index. A general search for the name on both Ancestry and Find My Past produced no positive result. No testator of
that name appears in the online East Kent Will Index (1660-1858). No baptism could be found for any Lacroix child at Herne, whose
records have all been digitised and are available on CD at the Society of Genealogists.
A reference had been discovered to a Peter Lacroy who was of Herne in 1773. Hugh Torrens’s research confirms that this in fact
relates to Peter, the father-in-law of George Perry senior. Peter was one of the subscribers to a publication of papers drawn up from
Perry’s unfinished History of Liverpool for the benefit of his widow, Lydia.
The marriage of Peter Lacroy to Ester Marable appears on the IGI. This took place at St Alphege, Canterbury on the 4 th October 1750.
A film of the bishop’s transcript is held at the Society of Genealogists (Kent film 11) and a copy of the entry has been made. The
ceremony took place by licence (see below). This must surely have been a second marriage for the groom. Interestingly, the I.G.I.
includes another marriage which took place in the same parish on the 28th April 1748 between Esther Marrable and Gideon Gambier.
Bearing in mind the custom found in Huguenot records for married women to be known by their maiden name, perhaps this was a first
marriage for the same bride.
The baptism of Hester Marrable, daughter of Thomas and Hester, took place at St Alphege, Canterbury, on 3 December 1727 (IGI).
A previous marriage for Peter Delacroy was found to have taken place in the Fleet in London on the 2nd August 1726. The Fleet was a
popular location for the transacting of irregular marriages prior to Hardwicke’s Marriage Act of 1753 and the registers are indexed by
the National Archives in class RG7. They have also been digitised on the BMD Registers website. Fleet marriages often appear in
more than one copy of the registers and this is the case with this ceremony. Two records were made and both have been copied
(RG7/68, f. 127 and RG7/83, f. 16). The bride’s name appears to be Jude Tessac or Tessoe. The groom was described as peruke maker2
or periwig maker. Both were, on this occasion, marrying for the first time. They were said to be residents of St Martin in the Fields.
No burial can be found in the National Burial Index or on the Find My Past website for Jude Delacroy and variants. Neither can her
burial be found at Herne.
The following volumes and indexes were consulted at the Society of Genealogists, for any reasonable variant of the Lacroix surname.
1
See: Gregory, M.P., (2009), "The Perry Family", Personal Family History Report.
A peruke maker was a wig-maker. In Georgian England, possession of wigs and hair-pieces, especially by men,
was considered a sign of wealth.
2
1

Boyd's Inhabitants of London, a huge collection of material about those who lived in the capital city and south-east England
and who were tradesmen and members of livery companies.

The Surname Document Collection, another huge collection of original research notes of both amateur and professional
genealogists, indexed by surname.

The card index to the separate Special Collections and Roll Pedigrees.

The Society’s collection of genealogical periodicals, heralds’ visitations and antiquarian publications, accessible through
three publications: G.W. Marshall's The Genealogist's Guide (1904), J.B. Whitmore's A Genealogical Guide (1953) and G.B.
Barrow's The Genealogist's Guide (1977).
Surprisingly, nothing was found for any of the Lacroix variants.
The Huguenot churches in England are comprehensively covered by the IGI In addition, their registers have been transcribed and
indexed by the Huguenot Society in their Quarto Series. Those of the Walloons’ or Strangers’ Church in the crypt of Canterbury
Cathedral and the Malthouse Church (Quarto Series vol. 5, parts 1-3) were examined at the Society of Genealogists’ library and all
instances of the Lacroix surname and variants were extracted. Copies of the contents page and indexes have been made, to illustrate the
scope of this search. Those entries in the index which refer only to a witness (transcribed as Tem[oin]) have been omitted unless they
appear to be particularly relevant to this family and provide proof that a particular person was alive at that time.
Baptisms
22 Dec 1583
Marie fille de Jan de la Croix. Tem: Michel Hon(n)eron, Noe Haignerel
10 Jun 1606
Dauid filz de Francoys de la Croix. Tem: Jaques et Jan de Beure, Marie de Beure, Catherine femme de
Francois Ricqbourg
14 Fev 1607/8
Lea fille de Francoys de la Croix. Tem: Jan de Bevre, Jan Lansel, Marie femme de Walleran Richebourg,
Marie Pille
17 Dec 1609
Jane fille de Francoys de la Croix. Tem: Jan de Bever, Jan del Beque le jeune, Jane mere du dz de Bever,
Jaquemine femme de Jan Mesman
15 Mar 1662/3
Jean fils de Nicolas Delacroix et de Jaqueline sa femme. Tem: Guilbert Cassel, Ester Barre, Donne(?) Barbieu
17 Dec 1665
Marie fille de Nicolas de la Croix et de Jaqueline sa femme. Tem: Pierre Destrie, Marie ve fue de Pasque de
Beauvois, Marie Desburbieu
23 Nov 1673
Susa(n)ne fille de Dauid la Croys. Tem: Pierre la Croix represente par Jean du Puy, Susane du Puis v(efue) de
Francois Comitin. Ne le 16 dito
11 Nov 1675
Pierre fils de David la Croix et d’Elizabeth Dupuy. Tem: le Sr Pierre de Lamotte minister en sa place, Jacques
Dupuy, Ester Syroute femme de Jean Dupuy, pour Judith de Lacroix, femme de Sr Jean d’Arroyn. Nasquit le
9 dito
1675
Tem: Dauid la Croix
1675
Tem: Dauid la Croix
10 Mar 1677/8
1679
9 Sep 1680
Marye fille de Dauid La Croix. Tem: Jean Amoyne, Sr de bel Bese(?) et en sa place Estienne de Hausy,
Marye de la Croix femme de Pierre de la Barthe, Sieur de Bernoye gentilhomme et en sa place Anne Lott a
presen femme de Jean Dupuys
Tem: Dauid Lacroix
Elizabeth fille de Dauid Lacroix et Elizabeth sa femme. Tem: Philipe Manneke fils de feu Jean Manneke,
Jeanne Copin
2
13 Nov 1681
Lidye fille de Michel de Crouy et de Lidye sa femme. Tem: Dauid la Croix, Jenne Moreaux, Ellizabet de
Crouy. Nasquit le 6 dito
30 Avr 1682
Elizabeth fille de David Lacroix et Elizabeth Dupuy sa femme. Tem: Estienne de Haussy, Lea le Claire
femme de Jaqs Dupuy. Nasquit le 26 dito
12 Avr 1685
Dauid fils de Dauid Lacroix et Elizabeth sa femme. Tem: Michel de Croy, Marie Goubar femme de Thomas
Minet. Nasquit le 8 de ce mois
1686
Tem: Susanne La Croix
1688
Tem: Francois de la Croix
8 Mar 1690/1
Susanne fille de Francois de la Crois et Elizabeth Cornar sa femme. Tem: Jacques Cornar, son oncle,
Adrienne Malpau, Susanne Hardoint. Ne le 4 du present mois
7 Fev 1691/2
Jeanne fille de Francois de Lacrois et Elizabeth Cornar sa femme. Tem: Jacques Cornar, Adrienne Malepau,
Susanne Hardoien. Naquit le 7 du sus dit mois
1693
Tem: Anne Flahaut vefue de Pierre de la Croix
1693
Tem: Anne de la Croix
1695
Tem: Anne de la Croix
4 Mai 1701
Pierre fils de Francois de la Croix et d’Elizabeth Cornar. Tem: Mathieu Durie, Elizabeth Rolin, Ester Cornar.
Naquit le 28 d Auril
12 Jul 1702
Tem: Francois de la Croix (bap of Debra fille de Jacques Cornar et de Adriene Malpo)
9 Aug 1702
Elizabeth fille de Francois de la Croix et Elizabeth Cornar. Tem: Nicholas Lointhier, Elizabeth Rolin. Naquit
le 4 dito
7 Sep 1704
Pierre fils de Francois de la Croix et de Elizabeth Cornar. Tem: Jean Marteau, Marie Mongre. Naquit le 3 dito
28 Mai 1705
8 Dec 1706
13 Mar 1708/9
1712
David fils de Jean Louis La Croix. Tem: Monsr Caperdon, Madlle Susane Depre. Naquit le 22 dito
Jean Francois fils de Jean Francois La Croix et de Elizabeth Cornar. Tem: Monsr Jean Charpentier minister de
est Eglise, Madle Xenie Lardaux la Serpaudry(?). Naquit le 2 dito
Tem: Susane La Croix (bap of Terei fils de Isaac Aubry et Jenne Cornar)
Tem: Jean de la Croix
Marriages
21 Jul 1605
Marriage contract between Francis de la Croix son of Jean native of Niepe, assisted by Antoine de Lanoy and
Sarra Serpont daughter of Jacques native of Canterbury, assisted by her brother (?) David du Pire and Jean
Bever. Witness Paul Favel (vol ii no 237)
18 Aou 1605
Francoys de la Croix filz de Jan natif de Niepe et Sara Serpont fille de feu Jaques natifue de Canturbery
15 Avr 1639
Pierre Ernoult fils de feu Jean natif de Steenwerk en Flandre et Catherine de la Croix fille de feu Boudoin
native de Simion terre de St Aman
5 Sep 1650
24 Dec 1674
Quentin Baudry vef natif de Celle et Lea de la Croix fille de feu Francois native de Canturbery
Abraham de Cassel fils de feu Guilbert natif de la Basse ville de Calais et Judith de la Croix vefue de feu
Jacques Barisseau natiue de Montreuill. Promess. Ils ont este marie en l’Eglise le 21 Janr 1674/5
3
25 Nov 1688
Francois de la Croix fils de Jean et de defunte Jeanne Morin natif de St Juste et Elizabeth Cornar fille de
Jacques Cornar et de Johasine Honnore natif de Canterbury. Promesse. Ils ont este marie en l’Eglise le 25
Decemb 1688
Burials
13 Oct 1624
Francois de la Croix a Feverson (Faversham)
22 Jan 1706/7
David Delacroix metre decoll
The History of the Walloon and Huguenot Church at Canterbury, published by the Huguenot Society (vol. 15, 1898, SoG HUG/PER)
lists Francois La Croix as one of the Elders and Deacons of the Church of the Crypt in 1721.
The baptism of Elizabeth Cornar, also at the Walloon Church in Canterbury, is included in the IGI. She was born on the 24th April
1677 and baptised on the 5th May, the daughter of Jaques and Josinne Cornar.
In order to discover any further possible connections between your ancestors and others members of the Huguenot community found in
these registers, calendars of wills and administrations granted by the Archdeaconry and Consistory Courts of Canterbury were searched
for the years 1712 to 1858. No wills or administrations were granted by the Consistory Court but in the calendars of the Archdeaconry
Court, the following two entries were located:
1722-6
1727-9
book 84 q 52
book 87 q 36
Susanna Lacroix
Francis de la Croy
Canterbury
Canterbury
The book containing the will of Susanna Lacroix is available on film at the LDS London Family History Centre (0188985). A copy of
the document, which was written in French, was therefore made. Susanna de la Croix wrote her will on the 12th April 1725. She lived
in the parish of Northgate, Canterbury, and appears to have been unmarried. Close relatives named in the document were her sister,
Elizabet Lacroix, the wife of Mr Antoine Ibon, who was in France. The couple had a daughter, also living in France and a son, another
Antoine Ibon, who lived in London. Legacies were left to a number of cousins, named as Charles Flaan, Susanne Flaan, Legerend,
Susanne Lilet and an aunt, also called Susanne Lacroix. There were several more beneficiaries, seemingly unrelated to the testator, and
she also remembered the poor of the Walloon church. The document was witnessed by Louis Fatre, Jean Godier and Nicolas Gombar.
Probate was granted to Stephanie Tampier on the 8th May 1725. Could this will be that of Peter Lacroy’s oldest sister as they did
indeed have another sister called Elizabeth?
The book containing the will of Francis de la Croy is not currently included in the LDS (London) library’s film collection. It was
therefore attempted to obtain a copy from the Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Apparently, two filmings were made but neither can
provide a sufficiently legible copy. Enquiries were next made to the Centre for Kentish Studies at Maidstone. Luckily, the Archive
Service at Maidstone was able to supply a legible copy of the will, which was written in English.
Francis De La Croy wrote his will on the 2nd February 1728/9. He asked to be buried in the churchyard at Holy Cross, Westgate,
Canterbury. He left all his estate to his wife, Elizabeth, whom he also appointed as his executor. He stipulated that after Elizabeth’s
death, his estate should be divided equally among his three daughters, Susannah, Mary and Elizabeth. His son, Peter, was left just one
shilling, which might mean that his father had already made provision for him during his lifetime. The document was witnessed by
Nicholas Lointheir, George Austin(?) and Sam. Stevens. Probate was granted on the 11th April 1729 to Francis’s widow, Elizabeth De
La Croy.
The 1725 will of Susanne de la Croix detailed above cannot therefore be that of Francis’s oldest child, as she was clearly still alive in
1729. No baptism has been found for Mary, the second daughter named in Francis’s will. Perhaps this was an alternative name for his
second known child, Jeanne. He also made no mention of Jean Francois and it is therefore possible that he died young.
The burials of Holy Cross, Canterbury are included on the National Burial Index for the period 1690 to 1872. There is no burial there
for any Franc(o)is in 1729.
An index of Canterbury baptisms post 1752, which includes those in the Walloon Church, is available on microfiche at the Society of
Genealogists (KE/REG/92251). No further reference to the surname or its variants was found.
A further index, listing Canterbury burials, again from 1752, but not including any non-conformist burial grounds, was also available
(KE/REG/95906). Again, no entries for these names were found.
Canterbury Freemen for the period 1392 to 1800 have been indexed in a volume held at the Society of Genealogists (KE/L 13). This
book contains lists of all those entitled by apprenticeship, birth (patrimony), marriage and redemption. No instance of the names was
found.
4
Marriages licences issued by the Diocese of Canterbury are indexed in a series of volumes available at the Society of Genealogists.
Relevant entries from the volumes covering 1661-1750 (KE/R 248-251) were extracted.
26 Feb 1672/3 De Lacroix, David of St Alphege Cant g(ent) ba(chelor) 25 & Eliz Du Puy s(ame) p(arish) maiden 27 whose parents
are dead. At same.
31 Jun 1676 De la Croix, Pierre of S Paul Cant silkweaver ba 21 & Eliz Courthop s p w. At Sturry
20 May 1700 De La Croix, Jacobus merchant ba & Martha Lambe spr both of Dover. At Ch Ch Canterbury or
Harbledown
13 Apr 1715 De La Croy, John of Holy Cross Cant ba & Mary Malpas of All Saints spr. At ASS St Mildred Cant or
Sittingbourne
24 Sep 1750 Lacroy, Peter of Herne widr & Esther Marrable of S Alphege Cant w. At SA
28 May 1730 Stephen Botting of ASS Cant ba & Eliz De La Croy of HX Cant spr. At St Alphege or SM Bredin Cant or HC
9 Mar 1729 Austin, George ba & Mary D’La Croy spr both of HC Cant. At HC Hackington or Blean
Letters of Denization and Acts of Naturalisation relating to Huguenots have been indexed by the Huguenot Society. The volume
covering 1701 to 1800 was searched at the Society of Genealogists’ library (HUG/PER QS, vol. 27) and all entries for Lacroix etc
were extracted.
13 Annae No. 57
Charles La Croix s/o Peter La Croix by Margaret his wife b. Livron in Dauphine
3 Anne
15 Dec 1704 (petition presented to House of Lords)
Francis Lecroix, John Delacroze
4&5 Anne No. 94
Francois La Croix s/o Lawrence La Croix by Mary his wife b. Montauban, France
5&6 Anne No. 81
Francis La Croix s/o John James La Croix by Mary his wife b. Montpelier
13 Annae No. 57
John la Coste De Croy s/o Alexander La Coste De Croy by Elizabeth his wife b. Saint Hipolite in Languedoc, France
5&6 Anne No. 82
Anthony Marie de la Croze s/o Francis Marie by Margaret his wife b. Grenoble in Dauphine, France
It is possible that the petition presented in 1704 relates to Michael Gregory's ancestor.
The Huguenot Society has also indexed the records of ‘Inmates and Applicants for Admission at the French Protestant
Hospital’, originally in St Luke’s, Finsbury (QS vols. 52 & 53). The records cover the years 1718 to 1957 and the
following were noted.
La Croix (Delacroix), Francois 6 Feb 1741/2
age 68
(mort 1746-8)
Johnson, Esther, ne La Croix Coqueau recipient e. July 5 1777 d. Mar 1791?
24 Oct 1772 fille de Pierre e Veuve de Thos Johnson, refugie de Normandie, agee de 65
Boyd’s Marriage Index includes the following entries for the years 1650-1770, taken from copies of parish registers, bishops’
transcripts and marriage licences:
1672
Dav Delacroix & Eliz Dupuy
Canterbury diocese
5
1694
1697
1697
1700
1709
1715
1724
1726
Pierre Levesque & Cath Delaroix
Jas Delacrois & Mary Russell
Jaques Delacroix & Marie Russel
Louis Delacroix & Fran Durand
Pet Delacroix & Mary Decamp
Jn Delacroy & Mary Malpas
Math Lacroi & Eliz Pocock
Ric Smith & Sus Delacroy
Savoy Chapel, Westminster
Vicar General
Savoy Chapel, Westminster
Vicar General
Vicar General
Canterbury diocese
St Matthew, Friday Street
St George, Hanover Square
The Origins website contains a database of Apprentices of Great Britain (1710-1774), consisting of abstracts taken from tax records
kept by the Inland Revenue. There are no entries for Lacroix or variants.
From the details recorded at the marriage in 1688 at the Walloon Church in Canterbury Cathedral, it is now known that (Jean) Francois
was the son of Jean de la Croix and Jeanne Morin. His mother was already dead by the time of her son’s marriage. It would appear that
his father was probably still alive in 1688. Most importantly, there is a statement that the groom was a native of St Juste. This would be
in France. The identity of that locality could now be sought. Perhaps there are records there of his and Michael Gregory's ancestry
before the emigration to Canterbury.
Date of Report:
16th May 2010
6
7
The Abram Family of Cheshire and Connection
to Michael Gregory
See above
Richard Thompson Blake
Born 1826/7
Gentleman of Oxton, Cheshire (1853)
Of ‘near the Asylum’ Eccleston
Lancashire (1854)
Commission Agent (1880)
Died 28 October 1880 at Eastgate Street
Row, Chester, aged 53
=
Ralph Abram Blake
Born 19 August 1854, Eccleston,
Lancashire
Book-keeper of Tranmere, Cheshire (1878)
1 Springfield View, Liscard, Cheshire (1881)
Gentleman of Tydraw, Cathole, Mold,
Flintshire, (1886)
Farmer of Bwn Adda, Llanarmon,
Denbighshire (1891)
Farmer of Banhadlen Sanol,
Llanarmon, Denbighshire, (1901)
General shop-keeper (1906)
Leather merchant’s clerk of Green Lane
Retired farmer (1911)
Frederick John Hall Gregory
b. 1884
=
Frederick William Gregory
b. 25 Dec 1906
=
Margaret O’Neill
b. 24 Nov 1909
See O’Neill Family History Report & Genealogy
Chart No 3
Malcolm Peter Gregory
b. 26 Feb 1935
=
Bernadette Caffrey
b. 13 Apr 1934
See Caffrey Family History report & Genealogy
Chart No 2
Michael Peter Gregory
b. 25 June 1957
=
Janet dau of Ralph Abram gentleman
Arthur Abram
Elizabeth
born 1833/34 Liverpool
b. ca 1839, Liverpool
b. 1839 (Livp’l)
married 23 August 1853 Woodchurch
Elizabeth Kimmer Abram George Perry
Cheshire (minor of Oxton)
b. ca 1832, Liverpool
b. 1840 (Livp’l)
Widow of 17 Paradise Row, Chester Holy
Living with brother in law Emily
Trinity (living on interest) (1881)
Richard Blake (1861)
b. ca 1842
Ellen Abram
Mary Welsh = George Perry Abram
(Peckham)
b. ca 1829, Liverpool
b. ca 1844
b. ca 1835, Liverpool
Robert Perry
Ralph Abram
(Heswall,
Schoolmaster (1881)
b.1845 (Livp’l)
b. ca 1837, Liverpool
Cheshire)
Headteacher of Wells
m.1873
Cathedral School (1891)
Mary Catherine Thomas
Edward Abram = Elizabeth
b. 1852-54
b. ca 1841
b.1846
Tranmere Cheshire
Gertrude Mary
(Liverpool)
m. 11 May 1878 Tranmere
b. 1874 (Oxton)
Living at 2
Elizabeth Winifred
Mossy Bank,
b.1875 (Swinborne)
Liverpool
See Blake Family History
Margaret Ellen
(1881)
Report & Genealogy Chart No 8
b. 1876 (Swinborne)
Dorothy
b.1879
Lilian C
Ralph Abram
Cicely
b.1865
b.1872
b.1880
Minnie
Athelstan Abram
Joyce B.
b.1867
b.1875
b.1885 (Wells)
Arthur Abram Walter G
Annie Blake
Edith G.
b.1869
Abram
bn 8 April 1886
b. 1887 (Wells)
b.1878
Tydraw, Cathole
George P Abram = Florence
m. 5 Nov 1906
b. 1878 (Swinborne) Living Sussex,
St James RC Church
d. 1916
(1916)
Colchester
Killed at Vimy Ridge m.1915 (Elham)
Domestic servant of
with Canadian forces
The Oaks, Lexden
Farmer in Canada (1914)
Road, Colchester, (1906)
See Gregory Family History Report & Genealogy Chart No 1
8