The Enestrom Family

Charles Wilhelm Percy Enestrom, a seaman and engineer, was born on 2 August 1864 in Stockholm, Sweden, the eldest of six children of Adolf Richard Maximilian Enestrom (1829-1904) and his wife Emelie Augusta Engelbrecht (1834? -1898?)

Adolf Richard Enestrom was a successful businessman and the Enestrom family lived a life of comfort in a pleasant suburb of Stockholm. Charles Enestrom carried out a threat to run away from home by joining a ship sailing out of Stockholm as a cabin boy at the age of 14. He was never to return to Sweden. For the next six years he sailed around the world including voyages to Java and to Valparaiso in Chile which included a successful rounding of Cape Horn.

At the age of 21 Charles joined the SS Great Britain in Cardiff on 6 February 1886 as an able seaman. The ship was badly damaged in an attempt to round Cape Horn sailing in a westerly direction, and it was forced to put into the Falkland Islands – arriving on 25 May 1886.

Charles Enestrom was appointed by Frederick COBB as a ship’s watchkeeper for the next year. The ship was converted into a storage hulk for the FIC. The SS Great Britain was to remain in the Falkland Islands until 1970 when it was brought back to Bristol for restoration. (See DFB entry for Sir Jack HAYWARD)

Charles Enestrom married Mary Anne Roberts (1871-1933), the daughter of William Roberts (1842-1912) and Ellen Roach (1835-1902) on 21 June 1892, in St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Charles Enestron had a varied working life – employed by both the Falkland Islands Company (FIC) and Dean Brothers. He worked as a sailor in the cutter Flora at Darwin and a sailor/cook on board the schooner Hornet. He also served for 6 months as a cook in the schooner Allen Gardiner at the Mission Station on Keppel Island.

He sailed in the cutter Fanny at Weddell Island for 2 years and worked at the Naval Works and in the picket boat at the Camber for 4 years

He became an engine driver for the FIC in the steam launch Cissie while also working in the engine workshop of the FIC – this included working on the engines and boiler of the SS Great Britain. Charles worked as a cook at Cape Pembroke Lighthouse for 6 months during its construction. He then served as a cook in the schooners Lafonia and Fortuna. He served as the engine driver in the launch Plym and in the tug Samson for 6 ½ years. Later he continued serving in the Samson and the Kelp while also continuing to work in the FIC engineer’s workshop work for 12 years.

Charles became a naturalised citezen of the United Kingdom in January 1915.

Charles was the only member of the crew of the SS Great Britain to remain in the Falkland Islands and, given the complexity of his surname and connection with the Great Britain, was known locally as ‘Charlie Britain’.

Mary Enestrom died on 25 January 1933, and Charles Enestrom died on 1 March 1940. Both are buried in Stanley cemetery.

Charles and Mary Enestrom had seven children:

1. Sigrid Gertrude Weddell Enestrom was born 11 July 1893 on Weddell Island. She married Emmanuel Swain (b.abt.1890-1972), a seaman, on 2 February 1925 at St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel, Stanley. At the time of the wedding Emmanuel was a gunner on board HMCS Afterglow.

Emmanuel was appointed a police constable on 2 September 1925 and on 12 October 1941, he was promoted to chief constable and gaoler.Sigrid was appointed gaol matron on 12 October 1941.

The couple retired to the UK in 1945. Later they moved to the USA where their daughter Beryl (1926-1975) was living. Sigrid died on13 Dec 1971 at the age of 78, in Orange County, California, USA. Emmanuel, aged 84, died on 4 December 1972 in California, USA.

2. Percy Henning Edgar Enestrom was born on 16 July 1895 in Stanley. Percy departed the Falkland Islands on 29 December 1908 to attend school in Buenos Aires on board the SS Oravia .Subsequently, Percy left the Falkland Islands permanently for Argentina and in 1920, was living in Lago, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Percy spent the remainder of his life in Rosario, Argentina, where he married and had three children.

3. Mabel (Ruby) Elanor Enestrom was born on 28 March 1897 in Stanley. On 18February 1928 she married Montague Cecil CRAIGIE-HALKETT (1880-1951), a widower. He who was a civil servant who served as postmaster 1911-1927. He was appointed colonial secretary in 1935.

Montague was acting Governor on several occasions between 1933 and 1937. The couple had four daughters. Montague was awarded an OBE in 1934.Montague and Ruby departed the Falklands on 16 April 1940 on board the Lafonia upon Montague’s retirement from public service.

Montague died in Southwark, England, in 1951. Ruby died in March 1974 in Surrey, England.

4. Ellen Marie (Nellie) Enestrom was born on 18 January 1899 in Stanley. Nellie married George Lyon Daillie (1898-1946), a teacher, on 12 February 1923 at St Mary's Roman Catholic Chapel, Stanley. George was a travelling teacher from 5 July 1928 to 24 May 1936.He was second assistant master in the Government School from 25 May 1936 to 31 July 1941.

The couple had one son - Lionel. When George retired in1941 they moved to the UK to live with their son Lionel. George died in June 1946.Nellie died in September 1971 in Surrey, England.

5. Edgar William Richard Enestrom was born on 6 July 1901 in Stanley. Edgar left the Falklands for Valparaiso in Chile in 1917, where he worked for Citibank. Edgar returned to the Falklands in 1922. Edgarwas appointed a travelling teacher on 1 October 1930. He married Frances Ellen Lee (b. April 1919 at Port Howard) on 3 August 1937 at Christ Church Cathedral, Stanley.

The couple had two children – Marjorie and Ronald. Edgar was appointed sub-editor of the Penguin on 16 August 1937 and a clerk in the Agricultural Department on 1 July 1939. From January1948 until March 1957 Edgar was postmaster (in succession to the long serving Maude CAREY).

The couple retired to the UK in November 1959.Edgar died on 1 July 1978 in Bournemouth, England.Frances died on 25 August 2004 in England.

6. Dorothea Magda Enestrom was born on 22 May 1906 in Stanley.Dorothy was married to Henry Coates Ley (1898-1949), on 8 June 1927 at The Deanery, Stanley. The couple had two children - Charles and Felicity .Henry Ley served as postmaster 1928-1931 and as deputy treasurer in the Falklands.

He was appointed an assistant controller of banks in Nicosia, Cyprus on 14 July 1943. The couple retired to Cambridgeshire in the UK to live near their daughter Felicity. Henry died in 1949 in Gloucestershire, England, and Dorothy died in June 1973 in Cambridge, England.

7. Cyril Charles Dudley Enestrom was born on 29 October 1907 in Stanley.In 1927, at the age of19, he emigrated to emigrated to Argentina where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Clares Servilla Esteves (1913-1958) and he died on 13 February1983 in Buenos Aires. He and Glares had two children - Silvia and Carlos.