Balbina Crabbe

## Balbina Selwyn (née Crabbe)

**Balbina Selwyn** (née **Crabbe**) (1 June, 1869 - 10 December, 1959) was an English pure-blood witch who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1 September, 1880 to June of 1887. She was the wife of Donalbain Selwyn, who was Head of the Noble House of Selwyn from the year 1902 until his death in 1952.

She was the oldest child of Vincent Crabbe I and Horatia Crabbe (née Crouch). She had a younger brother, Joseph Crabbe. She married Donalbain Selwyn on 10 August, 1888, at the age of nineteen. Together, they had three children. They were Fionnuala Parkinson (née Selwyn), first wife of Paschal Parkinson, Ursula Warrington (née Selwyn), wife of Thracius Warrington, and Drustan Selwyn.

Balbina Selwyn was the paternal aunt of the children of her brother, Joseph. She was the aunt of Irma Black (née Crabbe), wife of Pollux Black, as well as Victor Crabbe and Flora Weasley (née Crabbe), who was disowned for marrying Barnabus Weasley. She was the great-aunt of Walburga Black, Alphard Black, Cygnus Black IV, Vincent Crabbe Sr., Emil, and Angus Weasley.

She was the maternal grandmother of Fritz Parkinson and Adolphus Parkinson, both of whom did not live past infancy, as well as Mary Bulstrode (née Warrington), wife of Theodore Bulstrode Jr. Most notably she was the great-grandmother of Cornelius Bulstrode and the second great-grandmother of Millicent Bulstrode.

## Biography

### Early life (1869-1888)

Balbina Crabbe was born on 1 June, 1869, in Crabtree Manor, located in what was the county of Sussex in England. Crabtree is a hamlet in the parish of Lower Beeding, and in Horsham District of West Sussex, England. She was the oldest child of Vincent Crabbe I, and his wife Horatia Crabbe (née Crouch). She had a younger brother, Joseph Crabbe, who was the Heir Apparent to the Ancient House of Crabbe from birth.

She received her Hogwarts letter in the summer of 1880. That same summer, she visited Diagon Alley, located in London, and purchased a wand made of elm and dragon heartstring from Ollivander's Wand Shop. On 1 September, 1880, she boarded the train for Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin House that same night.

She married Donalbain Selwyn on 10 August, 1888, at the age of nineteen. Together, they had three children. They were Fionnuala Parkinson (née Selwyn), first wife of Paschal Parkinson, Ursula Warrington (née Selwyn), wife of Thracius Warrington, and Drustan Selwyn.

In 1888, her grandfather, Fabian Crabbe died, and her father, Vincent Crabbe I, became Head of the Ancient House of Crabbe. Her brother, Joseph, became the Heir.

### Later life (1888-1959)

She was the maternal grandmother of Fritz Parkinson and Adolphus Parkinson, both of whom did not live past infancy, as well as Mary Bulstrode (née Warrington), wife of Theodore Bulstrode Jr. Most notably she was the great-grandmother of Cornelius Bulstrode and the second great-grandmother of Millicent Bulstrode.

Balbina Selwyn was the paternal aunt of the children of her brother, Joseph. She was the aunt of Irma Black (née Crabbe), wife of Pollux Black, as well as Victor Crabbe and Flora Weasley (née Crabbe), who was disowned for marrying Barnabus Weasley. She was the great-aunt of Walburga Black, Alphard Black, Cygnus Black IV, Vincent Crabbe Sr., Emil, and Angus Weasley.

## Etymology

The name Balbina is the feminine form of BALBINUS, a Roman cognomen of the name Balbus which means "stammerer" in Latin. This was a family name of the mother of Emperor Augustus, Atia Balba Caesonia. Saint Balbina was a 2nd-century Roman woman martyred with her father Quirinus.

The surname Crabbe was derived from the Old English word *crabba,* which means *crab,* or from the Old English word *crabbe,* which means *wild apple.* This latter reference implies that the origin may lie as a habitation name "one who lives near the wild apple trees."