EDGOOSE:
In search of Ancestry
ENSOR, Francis Sidney
1841 - 1893 (52 years) Has 12 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
1816 - 1904 (89 years)-
Name ENSOR, Francis Sidney Birth 1841 France 
Gender Male Death 25 Feb 1893 Sheerness, Kent, England Person ID I6508 Edgoose Last Modified 3 Feb 2026
Father ENSOR, James Rainford, b. 6 Mar 1804, Wallasey, Cheshire, England d. 14 Dec 1877, Nottingham Registration District, Nottinghamshire (Age 73 years) Mother ANDREW, Ann, b. Between 1815 and 1816, Finchley, Middlesex d. 16 May 1904, London, England (Age 89 years) Marriage 16 Jul 1833 Stoke Newington, Middlesex, England Family ID F2249 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family PETTET, Catherine Elizabeth, b. Between 1844 and 1845, Hanover Square, London d. Yes, date unknown Marriage 1872 Kensington Registration District, London Family ID F2488 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
-
Notes
FRANCIS SIDNEY ENSOR 1841-1893
Francis Sidney, son of James Rainford ENSOR and Anne (sic), was baptised at St. Mary's, Worsbrough, Yorkshire, on 5 December 1841.
(FamilySearch)
The 1851 census of 16 Nelson Crescent, Ramsgate, Kent:
James R. ENSOR, head, aged 46, proprietor of houses, born at Seacombe, Cheshire;
Ann ENSOR, wife, aged 35, born at Finchley, Middlesex;
Mary Ann Eliz(?) ENSOR, daughter, aged 12, born in Belgium, British Subject;
*Francis S. ENSOR, son, aged 9, scholar at home, born in France, British Subject;
Albert W. ENSOR, son, aged 7, scholar at home, born in France, British Subject;
Andrew R. ENSOR, son, aged 4, born in France, British Subject;
Marie LINET, servant, aged 19, housemaid, born in Belgium;
Harriot JORDAN, servant, aged 34, cook, born at Birchington, Kent.
(HO107/1630/514/7)
He is listed in the University of London Calendar for the year 1869 as an undergraduated who passed the Matriculation Examination in 1864. His previous education is shown to have been private education.
(Paged 261)
The 1871 census of 15 York Buildings, The Strand, London:
*Francis Sidney ENSOR, lodger, aged 29, unmarried, civil engineer, born in France, British Subject.
(RG10/360/39/10)
He played chess at competion level in 1871, 1878, and 1883. Perhaps he was working abroad during the intervening years.
(www.edochess.ca/players/p688html)
The marriage between Francis Sidney ENSOR and Catherine Elizabeth PETTET was registered in 1872.
(GRO September Q 1872 Kensington 1a 161)
The 1881 census of 27 Letterstone Road, Fulham, London:
*F. S. ENSOR, head, aged 39, married, civil engineer, born in France, British Subject;
Kate ENSOR, wife, aged 36, married, born at St. Geo. Hanover Square, London;
Gertrude FISHER, niece, aged 17, unmarried, born at Marylebone, Middlesex;
Theresa POWERS, servant, aged 15, domestic servant, born at Battersea, Surrey.
(RG11/68/73/8)
In 1881 his book "Incidents on a journey through Nubia to Darfoor" was published by W.H. Allen & Co., London. He had been surveying the route of a railway between Darfoor and Egypt. The book was dedicated to John FOWLER, Esquire (Civil Engineer)r). He wrote that his first expedition into the Soudan was in 1871. This second expedition started up the river Nile from Cairo, Egypt, on 13 November 1875 (page 1) and reached New Dongola, capital of Lower Nubia, on 2 January 1876 (page 12). On page 38 he refers to the forests of Venezuela, "in the forests of which I have spent some considerable time". On pages 58, 59, 195, 196, 224 and 225 he refers to a young Arab girl about fourteen or fifteen years of age and of extreme beauty."We parted with many expressions of friendship and good-will, and I walked thoughtfully home to dream of my Kabbabbsheesh maid, whose like, for beauty and purity of face and soul, it has not been my lot to meet again in this or any other land."
In 1882 he was the editor of "Victoria: The Queen's Speeches in Parliament from Her Accession to the Present Time".
(W.H. Allen & Co., London 1882)
The death of Francis Sidney ENSOR aged 51 was registered was registered in 1893.
(GRO March Q 1893 Sheppey 2a 615)
"Francis Sidney ENSOR of Aurora Villa, Sheerness, Kent, died on 25 February 1893. Probate London 20 March to Catherine Elizabeth ENSOR widow. Effects £2"
(National Probate Calendar 1893)
Catherine Elizabeth ENSOR appears to have remarried as soon as her husband died, perhaps because he left her just £2. The name of her second husband is not yet known.
(GRO March Q 1893 Lambeth 1d 481)
NOTES & QUERIES:
1861 Census: Untraced
1891 Census: Untraced
(revised 30.04.2012)