Bentworth and the Ivall Family

The village of Bentworth is about 3 miles NW of the town of Alton in Hampshire. Records show that members of the Ivall family lived there from about 1732 to 1834.

My earliest known ancestor, William Ivall, was born in 1699 in Preston Candover, a village 4 miles W of Bentworth. He married Anne Kersley in 1730 in Shalden, a village 3 miles NE of Bentworth. They seem to have moved to Bentworth soon after they married as their first child Mary was baptised there in 1732. Anne died in 1759 and William in 1773. Both are buried in St Mary’s Churchyard, Bentworth.

St Mary’s Church, Bentworth

The churchyard contains a row of 5 Ivall graves under a yew tree, near the main church door.

The graves are, from left to right, those of

1. William Ivall (1699-1773)

2. William Ivall (1736-1811), William and Anne’s eldest son. The 1798 land tax records show that he owned land in Bentworth. He is described as a yeoman in his will.

3. Anne Ivall nee Kersley (1705-1759)

4. James Ivall (1745-1809), third son of William and Anne Ivall. James was a farmer and wheelwright.

5. Dinah Ivall nee Camies (1748-1819), who married James Ivall in 1774.

The map above is a drawing of the 1911 Ordnance Survey map showing Bentworth. It includes two buildings with Ivall in their name.

 1. Ivall’s Farm (see photo above), which is where James Ivall was living in 1799.

2. Ivall’s House (see above). This is said to have originally been one of the subsidiary buildings of the farm, which over the years was modified and extended.

The number of Ivalls living in Bentworth decreased from about 1800 onwards – several members of the family moved to nearby villages or to London. The final Ivall entries in Bentworth parish records are the burials of Elizabeth Charlotte and Anne Ivall, grandchildren of James Ivall, who both died in 1834. There are no Ivalls listed in Bentworth in the 1841 census or later ones.

James Ivall (1867-1922) : Bookmaker and Racehorse Owner

As the Grand National is this weekend, I am posting an expanded version of my item on James Ivall, who owned a horse that ran in the 1921 race.

James Ivall was a grandson of David Ivall (1795-1850, a successful coachmaker) who was the younger brother of Thomas Ivall (1781-1835), my great, great, great grandfather.

James was born on 25 May 1867 in Marylebone, the fifth of nine children, the first four of which died in infancy. His father was James Ivall (1832-1896) who was a coach maker (1861), later became a dairyman (1871), then a coach maker again (1881 and 91) and finally a tobacconist (1896). His mother was Sarah Ivall nee Benn (1839-1904). James was baptized on 22 Aug 1867 at St Mary Magdalene, Paddington, which was near 11 Cellbridge Place, Paddington where the family were living.

The 1871 census shows James Ivall senior (aged 39) his wife Sarah (31) and their children James (4), William (2) and Edith (1) living at 120 Talbot Road, Kensington. I can’t find James Ivall junior in the 1881 census – he is not listed with his family. Perhaps he was at a boarding school.

James became an engineer. In 1891, he was an engine maker fitter, aged 23, lodging at 13 Paradise Terrace, Hunslet, Yorkshire. On 7 December 1892, James married Rose Amelia Idle (b 1872 in Twickenham, her father was a boot maker) at St Mary’s Church Hampton. He was aged 25, an engine fitter and she was 20. James’s brother William and sister Edith were witnesses.

Electoral registers show James Ivall living at 56 Eccles Rd, Wandsworth in 1898 and 1899. The 1901 census shows James Ivall aged 33 living at 2A Schubert Road, Wandsworth, London with his wife Rose (28), brother-in-law Frank Idle (18, a barman), his wife’s niece Edith Lyford (9) and a domestic servant. The occupation given for James is “commission agent” ie bookmaker. James and Rose had no children.

James became one of the largest bookmakers of his time. He would have taken bets at race meetings - bookmaking shops were not legal when he was operating. He also owned several racehorses. For example, he owned a 5 year old horse called All Round, which came second in the Novices Steeplechase at Gatwick on 1 February 1900 (the results were given in The Times the following day).

National Hunt racing colours (blue and white stripes), registered in 1901 by James Ivall (drawing by Dennis Ivall)

The bookmaking business run by James Ivall was placed into receivership in 1906. The London Gazette of 12 February 1907 records that creditors of James Ivall (sued as Isaac White) of 172 Falcon Road, Clapham, lately carrying on a business at 75 High Street Balham, were to be paid 10s in the pound.

In 1909, James inherited approximately £500 (equivalent to about £180,000 now) from his uncle David James Ivall, whose will instructed his residual estate to be divided after his wife’s death amongst his nephews and nieces alive at the time of his death (which was in 1873). There were 22 of them and the National Archives has a Chancery Court document listing their names. David’s widow (Lea Mathilde Ivall) died in 1907, which meant that the money could then be allocated.

The address of James in 1909 was Lynwood, Foxley Lane, Purley. It was also his address at the time of the 1911 census which shows James (43, a commission agent), his wife Rose (38), her niece Edith Lyford (19), a housemaid and a cook living there. The census return shows the house to have 11 rooms, so it must have been substantial. The 1915 and 1919 electoral registers show that the house was 121 Foxley Lane.

121 Foxley Lane (now called Oakwood) in 2015

In 1915, the government banned horse racing at all venues except Newmarket, to avoid disrupting the war effort. The Evening Telegraph dated 27 May 1915 reported that the National Sporting League held a meeting in London about this, at which “Mr James Ivall presided.” Resolutions opposing the ban were agreed and passed.

The London Telephone Directory for 1916 lists “James Ivall, agent” at Lynwood, Foxley Lane, Purley. Presumably “agent” means commission agent. The following horses were shown as owned by him on the racing pages of The Daily Mirror in 1919 : Santfreda, Prevoyant, Julian, Lady Raja. James had a runner – Rock Ahoy – in the 1921 Grand National.

James also became a nurseryman. The 1913 London Telephone Directory has an entry for Ivall and Brighton, Nurserymen, Shirley. The London Gazette dated 30 December 1919 contained the following item :

“Notice is hereby given that the Partnership lately subsisting between us, the undersigned James Ivall and Fred Brighton, carrying on business as Wholesale Nurseryman at The Nurseries, Shirley, Croydon, in the county of Surrey, under the style or firm of IVALL & BRIGHTON has this day been dissolved by mutual consent. All debts due to or owing by the said late firm will be received and paid by the said James Ivall, who will continue the said business. As witness our hands this tenth day of December, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.”

The 1921 census shows James Ivall (54, a commision agent), his wife Rose (48), her niece Eveline Idle (35), a visitor Ada Gibson (47), a cook and a housemaid at 6 Foxley Lane, Purley.                                                            

James died on 20 January 1922 (the day my mother was born!) at the Trinity Nursing Home, Falkland Road, Torquay. He was aged 54. An obituary was printed in the Yorkshire Post:

 DEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN BOOKMAKER

 A WEAKNESS FOR “FREAK” BETS

The death took place yesterday morning of Mr James Ivall, better known as “Ike White”, one of the leading bookmakers in Tattersall’s Ring. Genial and hearty, he was popular with all classes of racegoers, and he gave freely to deserving charities. He was fond of making “freak” bets and on one occasion laid and lost a wager of £100 to a cigar during the running of a race.

Mr Ivall had horses in training with Cecil Young and Bennett. Rock Ahoy was to have carried his colours at Plumpton yesterday. Prevoyant won many races for Mr Ivall, both before and after the war. A goat used to accompany this peculiar-tempered horse to the race meetings.

(Tattershall’s Ring is the enclosure at racecourses where established bookmakers are located.)

Probate on the estate of James Ivall was granted on 25 May 1922 to Rose Ivall (his widow), Percy Ivall (his brother) and George Idle (his brother-in-law ?). Percy and George were commission agents. The Times printed the following item in its Estates section on 31 May 1922

“Mr JAMES IVALL (better known as “Ike White”) of Weybourne, Foxley Lane, Purley, bookmaker, for many years prominent in Tattershall’s Ring and owner of several racehorses, who died at Torquay on 20 January 1922, left estate of the gross value of £10,866 with net personalty £8,112.” (equivalent to about £1,450,000 now).

James had made a will in 1911 and amended it with a codicil in 1914. Under the amended will, his estate was invested to provide an income for his wife Rose. On her death his residuary estate was divided into 16 shares, one each going to his 11 nephews and nieces (the 5 children of his brother Henry namely Marjorie, Patricia, Henry, Percy and Dorothy and the 6 surviving children of his brother Percy that is Edith, Alice, Percy, May, Albert, Doris), one each going to his wife’s nieces Winnie Idle and Maude Lyford. Three shares went to his wife’s niece Edith Lyford.

Rose Ivall died in 1923 in Purley aged 51. James and Rose Ivall are buried in grave L144 in Bandon Hill Cemetery, Wallington, Sutton. The cemetery is full and so grants new burial rights in graves which have not been used in the previous 75 years. John Clemson (who was not related to James and Rose) was buried in grave L144 in 2001 and the plot now has a headstone with his name on it. The cemetery office tell me that the memorial to James and Rose was a rustic granite cross inscribed "In loving memory of James Ivall, who died January 20th 1922 aged 54 years. Also of Rose Amelia, dearly beloved wife of the above, who died August 8th 1923 aged 51 years." It was removed in 2000 and broken up.

Albert Ivall (1839-97) : Farmer, haulage contractor and dairyman

I have recently found some new information about Albert's life and so am re-issuing this item.

Albert Ivall was born 26 January 1839 in St Pancras, the youngest of seven children born to David Ivall (1795 - 1850) and his wife Martha nee James (1796 - 1853). He was christened on 22 February 1839 in St Pancras Church. Albert’s father David was the younger brother of Thomas Ivall (1781 - 1835), my great, great, great grandfather. Albert’s siblings were David James (1830-73), Martha James Brisco (1831-99), James (1832-96), Laura (1833-39), Emma (1835-86) and Kate Bainbrigge (1836-1917).

The 1841 census shows David Ivall aged 45 a coach maker living at 158 Tottenham Court Road, St Pancras with his wife Martha (45) and their children Emma (6), Kate (4) and Albert (2). In 1845 the family moved to 14 Blomfield Road, Paddington, a large house which still exists (it has been renumbered as 24).

David Ivall (Albert’s father) died in 1850 and left an estate worth £35,000 (about £2,100,000 in modern terms). This was administered by the Court of Chancery. In the 1851 census, Albert (aged 12) is shown at Streatham Academy, Croydon Rd, Streatham. The school had 3 teachers and 30 pupils aged 9-16.

Martha, Albert’s mother, died in 1853 when he was 14. David James Ivall, his eldest brother aged 23 in 1853, was appointed as Albert’s guardian together with Anne Caroline Kingston (aged 38 in 1853), the wife of William Wykeham Kingston (51). In 1853 the Court of Chancery awarded £80 pa for the future maintenance and education of Albert.

The Court of Chancery records contain a document stating that Albert was to be apprenticed to James Rock of Hastings, Coach Builder, for 5 years from 26 January 1855 (Albert’s sixteenth birthday). James Rock was paid £250 and Albert’s wages were set at 6s per week in the first year, 7s in the second, 8s in the third, 10s in the fourth and 12s in the fifth. The amount that his guardians were allocated to spend on Albert’s maintenance and education was increased to £130 pa. The 1861 census shows James Rock Jnr, aged 42, a coach builder master employing 50 men. He was also an Alderman of the Borough of Hastings.

Albert inherited £5,000 (equivalent to about £320,000 now, calculated in relation to average earnings) from his father’s estate in 1860 when he was 21. The 1861 census shows Albert, aged 22, as a lodger in the house of John and Harriett Hogg at 7 Trinity Street, Hastings. It seems that coach making did not appeal to Albert - his occupation is given as “retired coachman”.

Later in 1861 Albert married Maria Streeter (b1840 St Leonards, Sussex) in Hastings. She was 21, the daughter of a baker and confectioner. He was aged 22. They had four children, namely Albert (1862 - 1905), Emma (1863 - 1904), David (1867 - 1897) and Harry (1869 - 1935).

Kelly's Post Office Directory for 1867 has the following entries :

Private : Mr. Albert Ivall, 2 Blomfield Terrace, St Leonards-On-Sea
Commercial : Albert Ivall, dairy farmer, Chapel Farm, Bohemia, Hastings

The London Gazette of 6 December 1867 contains a bankruptcy notice for James Ivall, Albert’s brother. It says that all of James’s estate and effects had been assigned to Albert Ivall (of Chapel Farm, Hastings, a farmer) as his Trustee to be administered for the benefit of his creditors.

The Sussex Advertiser dated 7 December 1867 contained the following item :

“George Bond, labourer, on remand from Monday charged with stealing two fowls belonging to Mr Albert Ivall of Chapel Farm, was again brought up. Prisoner pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one month’s hard labour.”

In 1870, Albert was taken to court over some cattle he had sold. A newspaper report on the case begins as shown below

 Hastings and St Leonards Observer, 18 June 1870 

The judge did not think the evidence conclusive that the heifers were in calf at the time that they were sold and so rejected the claim against Albert.

The 1871 census lists Albert Ivall aged 32 as a farmer of 110 acres employing 5 men and 2 boys. He was living at 12 Magdalen Terrace, Hastings with his wife Maria, their children Albert (9), Emma (7), David (4) Harry (1), a general servant and a nurse.

Later in 1871, Albert gave up the tenancy of his farm to Charles Gilbert Eversfield and Walter Harris. The East Sussex Record Office in Lewes has a valuation book with an entry dated Nov 6^th 1871 giving an inventory and valuation of the livestock, crops and equipment on the farm (Hulls or Fieldings) in the parish of St Mary in the Castle, Hastings. The total value was £570-1-5, which the new tenants paid to Albert.

Albert became a haulage contractor. In 1872, one of his employees was prosecuted for ill-treating a horse that was pulling a cart but was unfit for work. He pleaded guilty but said that he was acting on the instructions of his master. As a result, Albert was charged with cruelty to the animal. He pleaded not guilty. The court found Albert guilty of the charge and fined him £1. The case was reported in detail by the Hastings & St Leonard Observer dated 2 March 1872.

Albert worked as a contractor for Mr Moreing, a wealthy Hastings builder and landowner. Mr Moreing wanted a large quantity (6,000 cart loads) of soil removed from a site near the sea front and instructed Albert to deposit it on the beach, hoping that the tide would wash it away. In fact it caused a considerable nuisance and the council filed a bill stopping further deposits. Mr Moreing contested the council’s order in Albert Ivall’s name and “Mayor and Corporation of Hastings v Ivall” was heard in the Vice Chancellor’s court in London in 1874. The case lasted 9 days and was reported in the national (The Times and Daily Telegraph) and local press. Both sides were represented by QCs. The Hastings and St Leonards Chronicle of March 11^th 1874 reported :

“Mr Albert Ivall was cross examined by Mr Glasse QC. He said he was in Hastings for 19 years and he ought to be there now. Before he went to Hastings he was a schoolboy. He and four others were now carrying on the business of a dairyman at Bayswater. He superintended the business. He was a married man and his wife and family lived at Kingston-on-Thames. The business belonged to his brother. His remuneration was uncertain. Sometimes he got £1 a week. He was indemnified by Mr Moreing so far as concerned his counsel’s fees but not as to any costs the court might award against him.”

(Albert’s brother was James Ivall (1832 - 1896). His dairy business was at 120 Talbot Road, Westbourne Park, which is north of Hyde Park in London.)

When Vice Chancellor Sir R Malins delivered his judgement in June 1874 it was in favour of the Hastings Corporation. Part of his judgement was :

“The defendant Ivall is now engaged as a journeyman milkman in the neighbourhood of London at the wages of 20s to 30s a week and may possibly never see Hastings again, so he has not the slightest interest in the result of this enormous litigation and has certainly no means to pay the costs of it, though he has an indemnity, as he states, from Mr Moreing. He is in fact the mere tool of Mr Moreing, who carries on the contest as he likes, and thereby escapes the peril of having to pay costs, though he may have the benefit of the litigation…
…The defendant must pay the whole costs of this suit. In making the order that he must do so, I am aware of its futility, and I regret that it is not in my power to make Mr Moreing pay the costs of this enormous litigation.”

The costs awarded against Albert resulted in his bankruptcy. The London Gazette of 9 April 1875 announced that a meeting of the creditors of Albert Ivall, of 10 Thames Street, Kingston-upon-Thames was to be held on 1^st May 1875.William Maton of 151, Gray’s Inn Road, an auctioneer, was appointed Trustee of Albert’s property. 

The Post Office Directories for 1874 to 1884 have the following entries for Albert :

1874	Albert Ivall, 4 Kings Rd, Kingston
1877	Albert Ivall, dairyman, Portsmouth St, WC
1878	Albert Ivall, 12 Silchester Rd, St Leonards
1880	Albert Ivall, dairyman, 132 Salmon’s Lane, E
1881	Albert Ivall, dairyman, 132 Salmon’s Lane & 5 Dock St, London Docks
1882, 83	Albert Ivall, dairyman, 145 Manor Place, Walworth
1884	Albert Ivall, dairyman, 145 Manor Place, Walworth & 10 York St, Walworth
1885 on	No entry for Albert Ivall

The Hastings and St Leonards Observer dated 15 June 1878 contained the following item :

“ACCIDENT – A serious accident happened on Thursday to Mr Albert Ivall, living in Silchester Road. He fell down two steps outside his house and, after being seen by Dr Ticehurst, was removed to the Infirmary, where it was found that he had fractured both bones of the right leg. He is now progressing as favourably as possible.”

The 1881 census shows Albert aged 42, a dairyman, living at 3 Long Lane, Southwark with his children Albert (19, also a dairyman), Emma (17), David (14, a solicitor‘s clerk) and Harry (11). Albert’s wife, Maria, is listed as a visitor at her mother’s address in Hastings.

Albert’s son, David married in 1886. The marriage record lists his father as Albert Ivall, retired, so he had ceased work as dairyman by then.

In 1891 Albert (aged 52, no occupation given) was living at 33 Manor St, Clapham with his wife Maria (50), their sons Albert (29, a grocer’s assistant) and David (25, a boot salesman). Also listed at the address was their grandson William A Freestone (3), the son of their daughter Emma who had married William Stafford Freestone in 1886.

Kelly’s 1896 Directory for the Southern Suburbs of London lists Albert Ivall at 55 Studley Rd, Clapham.

It seems that Martha, Albert’s eldest sister, lent Albert some money. Her will, dated May 1897 says “I forgive and release my brother Albert from moneys due from him to me at the time of my death” (she died in 1899).

Albert died on 22 June 1897 aged 58 at 55 Studley Rd, Clapham. The death certificate gives the cause of death as phthisis (chronic), debility, exhaustion. This corresponds to progressive wasting disease caused by pulmonary tuberculosis, which was common at this time. The informant was his daughter Emma Freestone, who was present at the death. There is no record of probate being granted on his estate. His wife Maria lived until 1921 when she died aged 81 in Upton Park, West Ham. Probate was granted to Harry Ivall, a draper’s assistant, who was the only one of her children still alive. The value of her estate was £217.