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.