Albert Edward Ivall (1902-87): Engineer

Albert Edward Ivall (known as Ted) was a great grandson of David Ivall (1795-1850), a successful coach maker who was a brother and business partner of my ancestor Thomas Ivall (1781-1835). David left £5,000 (a substantial sum of money then) to each of his six children when he died. The youngest was Albert Ivall (1839-97), who apparently lost most of his inheritance between 1861 and 1871, when he was a farmer. He was declared bankrupt in 1875 following a court case brought against him by the Mayor and Corporation of Hastings. His eldest son was Albert Ivall junior (1862-1905), the father of Albert Edward Ivall.

In 1891, Albert Ivall junior married Clara Amelia Stock in Poplar, East London. They had six children, namely Mabel Edith (1892-1963), Ethel Clara (1893-1959), Albert Clifford and David William (twins born in 1896 who both died in 1897), Harold Victor (1900-85) and Albert Edward, who was born on August 4^th 1902 in Poplar. Albert’s father ran a grocer’s shop at 10 White Post Lane, Poplar. The site of this building (which no longer exists) was near Hackney Wick tube station, just to the west of the Olympic Park. Albert was baptised on August 24^th 1902 at St Mark’s Church, Victoria Park.

Albert’s father died in 1905 aged 43 of “phthisis”, another name for tuberculosis. His will left his entire estate (£608 net) to his wife, Clara. She managed to get Harold and Albert into a school for orphans at Wanstead, on the edge of Epping Forest. Entry was by election only. These were normally held in a tavern in Fleet Street or Ludgate Hill and at The London Tavern in Bishopsgate Street. Albert got 1,209 votes in the election held in May 1908. The 1911 census shows Albert (aged 8) and his brother Harold (10) at the school. It was renamed Royal Wanstead School in 1939 and closed in 1971. The school building is now Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Albert’s mother (Clara) moved to Sussex. Trade Directories for 1909, 1911 and 1913 list her under the heading “Apartments” and give her address as 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards, Hastings. In 1916 and 1920 she is listed as a dress maker at 100 Burford Road, Nottingham. Electoral registers for 1922 to 1924 show Clara and her son Harold living at 56 Noel Street, Nottingham. Albert would have been too young to be listed on the 1922 electoral register.

 

Albert in 1919 (aged 16)

Albert decided to emigrate to Australia. Shipping records show that he travelled third class on board the SS Orsova (an ocean liner owned by the Orient Shipping Line), leaving London on April 1^st 1922 and arriving at Freemantle on May 4^th 1922. He was listed as aged 19, an engineering apprentice, home address 56 Noel Street, Nottingham. In 1925 electoral registers show that Albert was a farm hand living at Yorkrakine, Toodyay, Western Australia. Toodyay, is a small town on the Avon River in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia, 85 kilometres north-east of Perth. He later returned to England, arriving at Tilbury on March 17^th 1930, having travelled 3^rd class on the SS Orsova from Freemantle. He was then aged 27, an engineer with 56 Noel Street, Nottingham as his proposed address.

On September 21^st 1935, Albert married Evelyn Gertrude Parsons at Holy Trinity Church, Nottingham. He was aged 33, an excavator driver living at 56 Noel St. She was aged 30, living at 37 Forest Row, a daughter of George Alfred Parsons, a retired outfitter. They went on to bring up two children, a girl and a boy.

The 1939 register shows Albert and Evelyn living at 15 Wolverton Road, Birmingham and gives his occupation as “aero detail fitter”. Electoral registers for 1945, 1950 and 1955 also show Albert and Evelyn living at 15 Wolverton Road, Northfield, Birmingham. This is quite near Austin Motors at Longbridge, where Albert worked for many years.

One of Albert’s nieces recalls that he had a cheerful personality and would exchange banter with his brother Harold when they met.

Albert in 1955

Margaret Rose Ivall, Albert and Evelyn’s daughter, married in 1960. Sadly she died suddenly of heart failure in 1974 aged only 35.

Albert retired in 1967 and continued to live at 15 Wolverton Road until he died on 27^th May 1987 aged 84 at West Heath Hospital, Birmingham. He was cremated at Lodge Hill Cemetery in Selly Oak, Birmingham and his ashes were scattered in the Garden of Remembrance there. His wife Evelyn died in 1995 aged 91.

Ethel Clara Ivall (1893-1959), Nurse

Ethel Clara Ivall was a great granddaughter of David Ivall (1795-1850), a highly successful coach maker. His youngest child was Albert Ivall (1839-97), who married Maria Streeter in 1861. Their eldest son was Albert Ivall junior (1862-1905), the father of Ethel.

In 1891, Albert Ivall junior married Clara Amelia Stock in Poplar, East London. They had six children, namely Mabel Edith (1892-1963), Ethel Clara (1893-1959), Albert Clifford and David William (twins born in 1896 who both died in 1897), Harold Victor (1900-1985) and Albert Edward (1902-1987). Ethel was born in Paddington on December 12^th 1893 and baptised on January 28^th 1894 at St Mary’s Church, Paddington Green.

The 1901 census shows Albert Ivall (aged 39, a grocery and provision dealer), his wife Clara (33) and children Mabel (8), Ethel (7) and Harold (4 months) plus a domestic servant living at 10 White Post Lane, a grocery shop in Hackney Wick. The building no longer exists.

Albert Ivall (Ethel’s father) died in 1905 aged 43 of “phthisis” (another name for tuberculosis), when Ethel was aged 11. His will left his entire estate (£608 net) to his wife, Clara.

I can’t find Ethel in the 1911 census. She wasn’t with her mother Clara, who appears as an apartment house keeper living at 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards on Sea, Sussex with her daughter Mabel (a sewing machinist).

Nursing Registers on Ancestry show that Ethel studied for a nursing certificate at Hull Royal Infirmary between 1918 (when she was 24) and 1922. She became a registered nurse on June 15^th 1923 in London. The registers give her address as 56 Noel St, Nottingham between 1926 and 1934 and 242 Perry Road, Sherwood, Nottingham between 1937 and 1946.

Electoral Registers record that Ethel was living with her mother Clara and brother Albert in 1930 and 1931, at 56 Noel Road, Nottingham.

The 1939 Register lists Ethel, a trained nurse, single, at 242 Perry Road, Nottingham with her mother Clara (who died in 1947). Ethel  was a matron at Sherwood Hospital. One of her nieces remembers her as a very pleasant person.

Ethel in 1955

Ethel died in 1959 aged 65 of leukaemia in Nottingham. She was cremated and is commemorated on her mother’s gravestone in the Northern Cemetery, Bulwell, Nottingham. The inscription reads

“In loving memory of CLARA AMELIA IVALL who died April 25^th 1947 aged 79 years.

Also of ALBERT IVALL husband of above who died March 3^rd 1905 aged 43 years. At rest. Interred at Manor Park Cemetery, Essex.

Also their beloved daughter ETHEL CLARA died Jan 29^th 1959. Cremated.”

Probate records say

IVALL Ethel Clara of 242 Perry Rd, Sherwood, Nottingham, spinster, died 29 January 1959 at The General Hospital, Nottingham. Probate Nottingham 11 May to Harold Victor Ivall turner and Albert Edward Ivall fitter. Effects £3,852 17s 9d.

Henry Martin Arthur Palliser Heywood (1866-1949) – NZ Businessman

Henry Martin Arthur Palliser Heywood was a grandson of David Ivall (1795-1850), a successful coachmaker in London. David's daughter Emma Ivall (1835-1886) married Joseph Martin Heywood (1832-1904) and emigrated to New Zealand. Henry was the sixth of their eight children (5 girls and 3 boys). He was born on April 20^th 1866 in Avonside, Christchurch, New Zealand. Joseph developed a successful business as a merchant and shipping agent in Christchurch (see the item about Emma Heywood nee Ivall on this blog).

After he completed his schooling, Henry got a job in 1887 working as a clerk for the Treasury Department of the New Zealand government in Wellington. He married Lilian Lee on December 18^th 1895 in Wellington, New Zealand. He was aged 29, she was 24. They later had five children: Nola (1898-1935), Arthur Lee (1902-79), Ivall Cora (1904-79), Robert Warwick (1906-96) and Barbara Lilian (1911-67).

In 1896, Henry became a sheep and dairy farmer near Pahiatua, a small town 160 km NE of Wellington. In 1903 he bought part ownership of the Colonial Carrying Company in Wellington, becoming its sole owner in 1910.

Henry was one of the 22 nephews and nieces of his uncle David James Ivall (1830-73) who each received about £500 from his estate in 1909, following the death of David's wife in 1907. This was a substantial sum then, equivalent to about £163,000 now.

In 1935 Henry purchased the Wellington business of the N.Z. Express Company. More information about Henry’s business career is given in the item below.

Item from New Zealand Who's Who

Henry died on November 10^th 1949 aged 84 and was cremated at Karori Cemetery, Wellington.

Plaque in Karori Cemetery

Henry's wife Lilian died in 1959 aged 88.

Martha James Brisco Sparks nee Ivall (1831–99)

Martha James Brisco Ivall was the eldest daughter of David Ivall, who was the younger brother of Thomas Ivall (1781-1835), my great great great grandfather.

Martha was born 30 September 1831 in St Pancras and christened on 2 May 1832 in St Pancras Church. She was the second 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), James (1832-96), Laura (1833-39), Emma (1835-86), Kate Bainbrigge (1836-1917) and Albert (1839-97).

Martha’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. Martha (aged 9) is listed as a pupil at a school in Chiswick Square, Chiswick. 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).

Martha’s father died on 6 June 1850 when Martha was aged 18. 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.

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

On 3 April 1856, Martha married William Sheldrake Francis Sparks at St James Church, Sussex Gardens, Paddington. He was 24 (the same age as her). The witnesses included Martha’s brother David and her sister Emma.

William Sheldrake Francis Sparks had been declared bankrupt in May 1855. The announcement in the London Gazette described him as a waterproofer, dealer and chapman (ie pedlar) of 115 New Bond St, Middlesex. A dividend of 1s 10½d in the pound on his debts was declared in March 1856. At the time of his marriage in April 1856, William’s occupation was given as surgical instrument maker, as was that of his of father, Jonathon Sparks (they were in partnership).

London Post Office Directories for 1857 to 1865 list William S Sparks at 9 Beaufoy Terrace, Edgeware Rd, Marylebone. The 1861 census shows William S Sparks (aged 29, surgical instrument maker employing 3 men and 2 women), Martha (29), a daughter Minna aged 3, a son Eric aged 1 and two servants living at 9 Beaufoy Terrace.

The following notice appeared in the 19 January 1864 London Gazette :

“Notice is hereby given that the Partnership between us the undersigned Jonathon Sparks and William Sheldrake Francis Sparks, in the trades or businesses of Surgical Bandage and Truss Makers, at No 28 Conduit Street, Regent Street, in the county of Middlesex and elsewhere, under the firm or style of Sparks and Son, was, on the 31^st day of December last, dissolved by mutual consent; and in future the said businesses will be carried on by the said William Sheldrake Francis Sparks on his separate account; and who will pay and receive all debts owing from and to the said partnership in the regular course of trade. Witness our hands this 15^th day of January 1864.                                      

W. S. Sparks                   Jonathon Sparks           

                  

Martha’s daughter Minna Martha Sparks died in 1867 aged 10 and her son Eric John William Sparks died in 1868 aged 8. I cannot find Martha in the 1871 census, but her husband William (aged 38, a surgical machinist) is listed as a lodger at South Lodge, Willesden, Kilburn.

William Sparks (Martha’s husband) died on 13 January 1880 aged 48. The death certificate gives the cause of death as "Anasarca Congestion of Brain". Anasarca is a medical condition characterized by swelling caused by effusion of fluid into the extracellular space. It is usually caused by liver, renal or heart failure. The entry in the probate index reads “The will of William Sheldrake Francis Sparks late of 2 St Andrew’s Villas, Church Rd, Watford, Gentleman, who died 13 Jan 1880 at 2 St Andrew’s Villas was proved at the Principal Registry by Louisa Birley of 2 St Andrew’s Villas, one of the executors. Personal estate under £2,000.” William’s will (dated 29 Nov 1879) leaves everything to Louisa Birley, spinster, his housekeeper. It makes no mention of Martha, who was by then was estranged from her husband. The death duty register says that Louisa received £1635 in total from William’s estate and was not a blood relation to him.

In 1881 Martha (an annuitant) was living with her brother James (a coachmaker’s clerk aged 47) at Thames St, Hampton, Middlesex. Also at the address were James’s wife Sarah (40) and their children William (12), Edith (11), Henry (7) and Percy (4).

In 1891 Martha was listed as a widow aged 59, living on her own means. She was a lodger at 105 Barnsbury Rd, Islington.

Martha died in 1899 in Islington aged 67 and was buried on 24 March 1899 in Highgate Cemetery, grave 33220. The website Deceased Online records that James Samuel Ross was buried in the same grave on 27 March 1899. My research shows that he died aged 63 in Islington and was an upholsterer. The value of his estate was £143, he had a widow and at least 9 children. It seems likely that he had no connection to Martha.

The probate index reads “Martha James Brisco Sparks of 38 Noel St, Islington, widow died 17 Mar 1899. Probate to William Sweetland, solicitor £3,379. Resworn Feb 1900 £3,452.”

The record of the death duty due on her estate is in document IR 26/7490, folio 672, held at Kew. Martha’s estate was allocated as stated in her will (made in 1897). Martha’s sister Kate Legg received £500 on which duty at 3% was payable ie £15. The will released her brothers Albert and James from money they owed her and gave her nephew William Ivall (this must be William Albert Ivall, 1868-1948, a son of her brother James) the money she had advanced to him apart from £28 for funeral expenses. A note says “Exec can give no information as to sums owing to dec ?”. No duty on these sums was levied. The residue of the estate ie £2675-19-4 was left to the British and Foreign Bible Society on which they paid 10% duty ie £267-11-11. 

In 1866, Martha and her husband William were both named as leaseholders of a business property in Cardington Street, near Euston Station. It seems that there was uncertainty over whether William had remarried after he separated from Martha, which needed to be resolved after her death. Camden Archives have the following statement made by Sarah Ivall (wife of Martha's brother James) in July 1899.

The Louisa referred to is Louisa Birley.

Leonard Fordham Ivall (1912-91), Architectural Consultant

Leonard was my second cousin, once removed. He was, like me, descended from David Ivall (1816-67), a journeyman coachmaker.

Leonard Fordham Ivall was born on August 14^th 1912 in Hampstead. He was the third of four children (2 girls and 2 boys) of William Charles Ivall (1883-1968), an accountant, and his wife Florence Bessie nee Endean (1885-1960). Fordham was the maiden name of Leonard’s paternal grandmother Matilda (1858-1921).

The 1911 census shows Leonard’s parents at 87 Constantine Road, Hampstead. Electoral registers from 1918 to 1925 list their address as “Newlyn”, Hampton Road, Buckhurst Hill, which is in NE London, near Chingford. In 1926 the family moved to "Hampton House", Hampton Road. In 1930 and 1931, their address is given as 71 Hampton Road, Chingford.

Leonard’s mother came from a Cornish family and so he often visited Cornwall for holidays. In 1937 Leonard married Ivy Dorothy Scott in Truro. He was aged 25, she was 21, born in Plymouth. They had a son in 1938. The 1939 national register shows Leonard, an architect and land surveyor, and Ivy living at 15 Trevellance Way, Watford. Leonard practiced as an architect but he never qualified; it would perhaps be more correct to describe him as an architectural consultant. One of his first commissions was for a bungalow in St Agnes, Cornwall, for his parents - they moved to it after his father’s retirement.

The following info about Leonard's war service comes from a nephew of his
"He joined up in November 1939 and served in the North Somerset Yeomanry.  Surprisingly, that was still a cavalry unit at that time:  they sailed to Palestine in Feb. 1940 and served mounted in the Syrian campaign during 1941, losing ten men at the battle of Maza Ridge (information from the Light Infantry office at Taunton).  However there was an acute shortage of signal personnel in the Middle East theatre and the whole of the N.S.Y. was amalgamated with a Royal Signals unit in July 1942.  They must have served with the Eighth Army in the North Africa campaign, as Len was awarded the Africa Star with Eighth Army emblem.  He appears to have returned to the UK in August 1943, as there is disembarkation leave recorded in his paybook, and his unit was apparently moved to Europe in November 1944 (after embarkation leave), as he was also awarded the France and Germany Star. I have his medals (as above, plus 1939-45 Star, Defence medal and Victory Medal) and his paybook."

Leonard's medal card gives his rank as Sergeant.

 Leonard during World War 2.

Leonard’s marriage ended in divorce soon after the war ended and he moved to the Moray District in NE Scotland. He married Jemima Paterson nee Green (born 1912), known as “Mina”, in 1948 in Elgin. She was a widow with three young children. 

Telephone directories show Leonard running a business supplying materials to artists at 23 South Street, Elgin in 1949. He is shown as an architect at 23 Grant Street, Cullen from 1955 to 1960, an architectural consultant at 4 Seafield Street, Cullen from 1961 to 1963 and at 8 Batchen Street, Elgin from 1964 to 1972. His residence from 1955 to 1972 was "Culoran" in Stotfield, Lossiemouth. 

Leonard (on left) with a brother of his wife Mina outside Leonard's house "Culoran"

In 1970, Leonard started a trout farm at the Old Mill, Spynie, near Elgin. The following item was published in a national newspaper in 1978.

In 1984, Leonard had “Carousel”, a book of poems, illustrated by his brother Dennis, published.

The poems are mostly humourous. An example of a short one from the book is:

My neighbour’s grass is always green,

With not a daisy to be seen,

No clover patch, no chicken weed,

No dandelion, gone to seed.

It’s neat and trim and nicely mown,

With no bare patches to be sown,

In fact, it’s what a lawn should be

For sitting on and taking tea.

My garden lawn, I must confess,

Is not like that, it’s just a mess.

Leonard died on 21 August 1991 in Elgin aged 79. His wife Mina died in 2002. They are buried together in Elgin Cemetery.

Leonard's grave

Frank Ivall (1901-86), Professional Singer

Frank Ivall was born on 4 November 1901 in Hackney. I don’t know the names of his parents. He was adopted by William Frank Ivall, a descendant of Charles Ivall (1779-1832). Adoptions at this time were either arranged by adoption societies or privately between individuals, a formal system was not introduced until 1927. An article about the life of William Frank Ivall is on this blog.

School records show that Frank was admitted to Eleanor Road School, Hackney on 28 January 1907, aged 5. His address was 342 Mace Street, which is in area of East London called Globe Town. He left the primary school on 22 August 1910 (aged 8) and transferred to the boys’ school on the same site.

The 1911 census lists William Frank Ivall (aged 39, a postman), his wife Sarah Jane (42) and Frank (9, their adopted son) living at 64 Navarino Rd, Dalston, Hackney. 

The family were living at the same address in the 1921 census, and William was still a postman. Frank, aged 19, was an instrument maker working for the Patent Lighting Company, Narrow St, Limehouse.

In 1924, Frank married Dora Gardner Crocker in Hackney. They were both aged 22.

Frank became a professional singer. He appeared in a musical comedy revue called “Stunts of 1924” which toured the UK. The Gloucestershire Echo, 30 December 1924 had the following item under the heading “Cheltenham Amusements”.

Coliseum Theatre

“Stunts of 1924” presented by Mr George Perry’s company at the Coliseum this week, provides one of the brightest and most enjoyable entertainments that we have the pleasure of seeing for quite a long time. It is a comparatively new show, and one that is certain to have a successful run. Much cleverness is shown in its construction. While it embodies the revue element, it also contains much that is original and novel, combined with scenes that approach very closely to the spirit of pantomime, and it is these features that give the performance its chief distinction, and lifts it both in tone and colour above the average revue level. An astonishing amount of entertainment is crowded into the performance. There are about fourteen scenes in all, and many of them are picturesquely mounted and dressed. Grand opera sung to rag-time, pretty vocal scenes symbolical of toyland, a charming butterfly scene by Miss Pauline Stone and the “Pearl Girls”, graceful dancing by little girls, and excellent singing and dancing by Miss van Biene, Miss Stone, Mr Louis du Cane, Mr Frank Ivall, and other members of the company, are some of the chief features of the show. Miss van Biene is also an accomplished cellist, and Mr Ivall reveals a phenomenal voice almost soprano-like in tone and flexibility. A breezy humour runs through the performance, and some sparkling comedy is seen in the several sketches in which Mr Perry, Mr Du Cane, Mr Glenroy, Mr Pat Allen and Mr Ivall collaborate.

The Aberdeen Journal dated 24 February 1925 refers to “Frank Ivall’s male soprano singing” saying that “Mr Ivall has a remarkable falsetto, which he uses to excellent purpose.”

The Era (a British weekly newspaper noted for its theatrical content) dated 23 May 1925 contained the item below.

The Era dated 18 May 1927 says Frank Ivall’s fine voice is heard to advantage in “Perhaps You’ll Think Of Me” and “Forgive Me” which he is featuring at The Palace, Blackpool this week with enormous success.

Electoral Registers for 1924 and 1927 show Frank Ivall living at 64 Navarino Road, Hackney with his parents William and Sarah Ivall. In 1928 the voting age for women was reduced from 30 to 21. The 1929 and 1934 registers show Frank’s wife Dora also living at this address. Frank Ivall is listed in the telephone directory at 64 Navarino Road between 1928 and 1934. Not many people had telephones at this time, so this seems to indicate that Frank was comfortably off.

Electoral registers show that Frank and Dora moved to 124 Graham Rd, Hackney (which is near Navarino Road) in 1935 and were still living there in 1963. Records indicate that they had no children.

The National Register prepared in September 1939 lists Frank, a vaudeville artist, and Dora at 124 Graham Road. He is a shown as a member of the Police War Reserve, which was introduced in 1939. War Reserve Constables (WRCs) were volunteers, who were part of the British Police Force and were given the full powers of a police officer. Duties of a WRC included the usual activities of a Constable, as well as enforcing blackouts, combating black market activity, assisting in evacuations and air raids, and capturing deserting soldiers. Uniform and equipment was the same as a regular Constable, with the exception of uniform epaulettes which were detailed WRC. Despite British police traditionally being unarmed, during the war officers were armed with rifles for protection from enemy action, enemy sabotage and to assist with the armed forces.

Frank’s mother Sarah died in 1943 and his father William in 1953. Perhaps surprisingly, the administration of his father’s estate was not performed by Frank but by his father's housekeeper, Annabelle Beatrice Cohen, who was the main beneficiary of his (incomplete) will. Some china and an oil painting were left to Frank.

Frank died in May 1986 aged 84 in the Epping Forest registration district. His wife Dora died 5 years later aged 89. Probate was not issued on either of their estates.