Henry Thomas Ivall (1874-1956), newsagent & publican

Henry Thomas Ivall was a grandson of David Ivall (1795-1850, the successful coachmaker) who was the younger brother of Thomas Ivall (1781-1835), my great great great grandfather. Henry wrote to Dennis Ivall in 1954 to provide him with some family history information. Apparently Henry was known as Roger because he was born in the same year as the Tichborne Trial in which an Australian butcher called Arthur Orton was convicted of falsely claiming to be Sir Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne, an aristocrat who was lost at sea in 1854.

Henry was born on 25 July 1874 in Notting Hill, the eighth of nine children, the first four of which died in infancy. His father was James Ivall (1832-1896) who was a coach maker, later became a dairyman, then a coachmaker’s clerk / manager and finally a tobacconist. His mother was Sarah Ivall nee Benn (1839-1904). James was dairyman when Henry was born. London Post Office directories list James as a cowkeeper at 120 Talbot Rd, Westbourne Park from 1871-76. Henry was baptised at St Luke the Evangelist on 16 August 1874.

In 1881 James (a coachmaker’s clerk aged 47) and Sarah (40) were living at Thames St, Hampton, Middlesex with their children William (12), Edith (11), Henry (7) and Percy (4). Also listed at the address was Martha Sparks (49), who was James’s elder sister and a widow (her husband died in 1880).

Henry told Dennis Ivall that his first job was as an errand boy for a West End firm and later had many other occupations including bookmaker (his elder brother James was a well known bookmaker and racehorse owner), publican and shopkeeper.

The 1891 census shows Henry aged 17, a silversmith’s assistant, living at 240 Brixton Hill, Brixton. Also at this address were his father James (aged 58, a coachbuilder’s manager), mother Sarah (51) and sister Edith (21, a stationer’s assistant).

James Ivall (Henry’s father) died on 19 Dec 1896 in Wandsworth aged 64. The probate register gives his address as 172 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction and his occupation as tobacconist and newsagent. Administration of his estate (£183) was granted to his widow Sarah.

In 1901 Henry (aged 27, a newsagent and stationer) was living at 172 Falcon Road with his widowed mother Sarah (61) and sister Edith (31), who are also listed as newsagents and so presumably worked in the shop.

Henry married Edith Augusta Ellis in 1906 in Wandsworth. She was a Londoner aged 24. He was aged 31. They had five children : Marjorie Sarah Ellis (1906-78), Patricia Grace (1908-80), Henry Thomas (1910-80), Percy David (1912-47) and Dorothy Louise (1917-44). Marjorie’s birth certificate gives Henry’s occupation as publican and his address as The Lord Nelson Inn, Green Man Street, Ewell (near Epsom in Surrey).

The 1911 census shows Henry (35, a beer retailer), Edith (29), Molly (5), Patricia (3) and Henry (7 months) living at the Lord Nelson Inn, High St, Ewell, Epsom. The family employed a domestic servant. Also living at the address were a boarder, and a potman.

It seems that the family moved to Kingston (where their next two children were born) in about 1912. Electoral registers show Henry at 227 South Park Road, Wimbledon in 1914 and 1915. From 1919 to 1925, Henry and his wife Edith were living at 172 Falcon Rd, Clapham. This was a tobacconist’s shop. Also listed are Henry’s brother Percy and his wife Alice, although the register states that their abode was 126 Trinity Rd, Wandsworth. It seems that the brothers ran the shop together. The Post Office directory lists Percy as the proprietor from 1905-25, and Henry in 1927.

The 1921 census shows Henry (aged 46, a newsagent and confectioner), Edith (39), Marjorie (14, assisting father), Patricia (13), Percy (8) and Dorothy (4) living in 7 rooms at 172 Falcon Road.

Henry and his family moved to 87 Gatton Rd, Wandsworth in 1926. Electoral registers show them there until 1938. Henry, his wife Edith and their children Marjorie, Henry, Percy and Dorothy were listed at the address that year.

Henry moved to 426 Southcroft Road, Streatham in 1938. The 1939 national register gives the occupants of this address as Henry (a night porter at offices), his wife Edith and their children Marjorie (under her married surname of Gardiner, a hire purchase clerk), Henry (a fitter's mate, electrical), Percy (a cashier clerk typist for a timber company)  and Dorothy (a hire purchase clerk).

Dorothy Louise Ivall, Henry’s youngest child died unmarried in February 1944, aged 26. Administration of Dorothy’s estate (£533) was granted to Henry, who was then a caretaker.

Edith, Henry’s wife, died in March 1944 aged 62. She was buried in the same grave as Dorothy (number 1168, class G, block 12) in Streatham Cemetery.

Henry continued to live at 426 Southcroft Road with his children Henry and Marjorie until his death. Also listed at the address in 1948 was Harry Ivall (I don’t know who this was). Kenneth Ivall, a son of Marjorie, is shown in 1951.

Henry died in 1956 aged 82. He was buried on 17 October 1956 in the same plot as his wife and his daughter Dorothy. The grave is grassed over and has no stonework on it. I can find no record of probate being granted on Henry’s estate.

Henry’s children Henry and Marjorie lived at 426 Southcroft Road until 1980.