Kate Bainbrigge Legg nee Ivall (1836-1917)

Kate Bainbrigge Ivall was a daughter of David Ivall, who was the younger brother of Thomas Ivall (1781-1835), my great great great grandfather.

Kate was born 12 July 1836 at 158 Tottenham Court Rd, St Pancras and christened on 3 August 1836 in St Pancras Church. She was the sixth child of David Ivall (1795-1850) and his wife Martha Ivall nee James (1796-1853). They had six other children namely David James (1830-73), Martha James Brisco (1831-99), James (1832-96), Laura (1833-39), Emma (1835-86) and Albert (1839-97). Bainbrigge was the maiden name of Kate’s maternal grandmother Anne, who was descended from Edward III.

Kate’s father was a highly successful coach maker. In the 1841 census David Ivall’s family were living at 158 Tottenham Court Rd, the address of his business. The household consisted of David Ivall (aged 45, a coachmaker), his wife Martha (45) and children Emma (6), Kate (4) and Albert (3).

In 1845 the family moved to 14 Blomfield Road, Paddington, a large house that overlooked the Regent’s Canal. It is still there (but is now number 24) – see the picture above.

Kate’s father died on 6 June 1850 when Kate was aged 13. The 1851 census shows David’s widow Martha Ivall (aged 55, an annuitant), David James Ivall (20, an artist), Martha Ivall (19), James Ivall (18, an apprentice coachbuilder) and two servants living at 14 Blomfield Rd. Emma Ivall (16) and her sister Kate (14) are listed as pupils at a school in Brighton. They later finished their schooling in France (see note 1).

Kate’s mother died on 13 June 1853. Kate inherited approximately £5,000 (equivalent to about £290,000 in modern day terms) in total from the estate of her parents when she reached the age of 21 in 1857.

On 18 August 1857 Kate married Frederick Augustus Legg at Kensington Parish Church. She was aged 21 and he was 23. They had 10 children (6 boys and 4 girls) over the next 17 years, namely Frederick George Ivall (1858-1939), Stewart Harry (1860-1921), Ernest Charles (1861-1900), Kate Emma (1863-6), Lily (b 1865), Norman (b 1867), Mildred Ivall (1868-1952), Marshall Albert (1870-1938), Alfred Edward (1872-1932) and Olive (1874-1941).

The 1861 census shows Frederick Legg aged 27, a private secretary to a nobleman, living at 51 Belsize Road, Hampstead with his wife Kate (24), his sons Frederick (2) and Stewart (1) and three servants. Frederick is thought to have been Land Agent to the Marquis of Angelesey. This title was created in 1815 for Henry William Paget, 2nd Earl of Uxbridge, a hero of the Battle of Waterloo. He died in 1854 and was succeeded by his son Henry Paget (1797-1869) and then by his son Henry William George Paget (1821-1880). The family seat is Plas Newydd on Anglesey, now run by the National Trust.

In 1864, various newspapers (including The Preston Guardian of 5 March 1864) carried an invitation to subscribe to shares in The City Mercantile Club and Dining Hall Company, which was to be a new gentleman’s club in London. One of the directors listed was Frederick Augustus Legg Esq., The Willows, South Norwood.

The Court Section of the London Post Office Directory lists people with some social standing. Frederick Legg appears in it at the following addresses :

1858 :              6 Blenheim Rd, St John’s Wood

1860-2 :           51 Belsize Road, Hampstead

1865:               The Willows, Albert Rd, S Norwood

1866-76 :         2 Carlisle Place, Westminster

1870-72 :         87 St George’s Road, Pimlico

In the 1871 census Kate is shown living at 87 St George’s Road, Westminster. The household consisted of Frederick (36, a private secretary) and his wife Kate Legg (34) with their children Frederick (12), Lilly (6), Norman (3), Mildred (2) and Marshall (1) as well as a cook, housemaid and 2 nursemaids.

Kate’s husband Frederick died in 1878 aged 44. The entry in the probate indexes reads

“Frederick Augustus Legg of 5 Freegrove Rd, Hillmarton Rd, Holloway, Middlesex, Gentleman d 20 Oct 1878 at Northumberland House, Stoke Newington. Administration to Kate Bainbrigge Legg of 5 Freegrove Rd, widow the relict, personal estate under £800.”

Frederick did not leave a will. The size of his estate was fairly modest (£800 equates to about £40,000 in modern terms). However, this may be because many of the couple’s assets were either in his wife’s name or their joint names.

The 1881 census records the family still living at 5 Freegrove Road, Islington and consisting of Kate Legg (44, income from house property) and her children Frederick (22, a engineering draughtstman), Stewart (20, a commercial clerk with ship builders), Lily (16), Norman (13), Mildred (12), Marshall (11), Alfred (8) and Olive (6) with a cook and a housemaid. As the family were still able to employ servants, it seems that Frederick’s death had not left them impoverished.

Kate signed the register as a witness to the marriage of her eldest son Frederick in August 1882.

In 1891, Kate (54, living on own means) was living at 9 Freegrove Road with her children Lily (26), Norman (23, an accountant), Mildred Ivall (22), Alfred Edward (18, an asbestos trade clerk) and Olive (16) as well as a servant.

The three daughters of Kate who reached adulthood all married clergymen. Lily married David Marcus Brown in 1893, Mildred married Horace Mould in 1897 and Olive married George Stanley Pite in 1905.

Kate was left £500 by her sister Martha when she died in 1899.

The 1901 census shows Kate (64, living on own means) at Upnor House, Vale Rd, Ramsgate with her daughter Olive (26) and a domestic servant.

The will of Lea Mathilde Ivall (widow of Kate’s elder brother David James Ivall) made in 1905 leaves several items to Kate “who now resides at Ramsgate”. They were a painting by David of his grandmother Anne James nee Bainbrigge, some cutlery and David’s christening mug. Lea died in 1907.

In 1911 Kate aged 74, was living alone in one room at 7 West St, Redland, Bristol. The census return gives her occupation as “private means” and says that two of her ten children were no longer alive. Kate’s eldest daughter Lily was living nearby in Redland in 1911.

Kate died 1917 in Kingston aged 80. I can find no record of probate on her estate.