Iya Sergeyevna Denissieff (1904 - 1980)

Person Notes:
— Iya was born in France and spent her childhood both there and in Russia. When things began to get dangerous in 1917, she was sent with her two sisters to stay with her maternal grandparents in Nice, France. Sadly, the girls never returned to Russia and never saw their father or brothers again.

In 1932, Iya married Vladimir Serebriakoff, and in the following two years the couple were blessed with a daughter and a son. So far, no further record of Vladimir has come to light, so it's unknown whether he went back to Russia and was killed there, or whether he died in France or somewhere in Europe.

When her children were still young infants, they were taken in and raised by their godmother, Tamara Armfelt Khodobai (later Lysloff). Iya was not able to care for them and remained in France until her death in 1980.

Memories written by her cousin, Eleanor Jauncey:
"We had no news from Russia, until Vera's daughters turned up. Their French governess was a brave woman. Somehow she got them to Archangel and found an English ship there, bullying the Captain to take them to England. I do not remember all the details, but eventually the three Denissieff girls and Mania the governess got to Nice, where Aunt Nell (with still help from relations) took them in. Now they are all married. Iya married a man named Serebriakoff and had a daughter."

". . .There were several winters and summers at Nice, as I grew up. Mother and I went so often that I do not always remember which year things happened. The first year, I remember, the girls (Nelly, Iya and Mariamne -- note the M in her name) were young and welcomed English amusements. Dumb Crambo was a tremendous success. Iya was rather difficult to absorb into all games, as she was very slow in the uptake."

"The three girls and I had long walks, but Aunt Nell thought it bad for them to do real hard walking or long expeditions. She was 100 years out of time's modern ways. . . . The next effort to give the girls something to do and to keep them from being bored was the idea of acting a little play in the garden. As soon as I found out that no one of the three was inclined to learn any part but that they were all willing to dress up and remember something of the movements, I changed it to be done in dumb show. Nelly, in my pink silk dressing gown, as the Lady. Mariamne, in Uncle Serge's best pyjamas, as Harlequin (with whom Nelly ran away eventually). Iya, in a silk evening cloak, as Disappointed and Quarrelsome Hopefuls. The two Schmitz girls, very nice friends from Nice, and their Dame de Compagnie, Mme Magnoli (and, of course, Aunt Nell and Mother), were audience, and I think the girls enjoyed it. The garden made an excellent scene, with a corner of the house walls and paved ways of the garden. At least, it kept them with something to do for several weeks. "

Memories written by her youngest sister, Mariamne:
"I had two brothers, Serge (nicknamed Serjack) the eldest, then came Alexander (Alec), Nelly (you all called Mimi) and Iya (Violet in Greek). The latter died of pneumonia some years later."

— At the time of Iya's birth, her mother called on the services of Emma Bate (nee Pugh), an English nurse who had cared for Iya's older siblings. Emma came out to France, bringing along her own young daughter, and remained with the family for several years. She saved a number of photos from her time with the Denissieff family, and they give some fun peeks into Iya's first years.