Death of Elizabeth Ann Ivall (1817-92)

Elizabeth Ann Ivall nee Gibson was my great great grandmother. She married David Ivall (1816-67), a journeyman coachmaker, in 1837 and they had ten children, seven of which survived into adulthood.

The following item was in the Islington Gazette dated 30 March 1892.

DEATH FROM A FALL

At the Islington Coroner’s Court, on Friday, Dr Danford Thomas held an inquest on the body of Elizabeth Ann Ivall, aged 74, who died under the following circumstances:

George Ivall, son of the deceased, of 27 S Block, Beaconsfield Buildings, said his mother resided at 75 Pembroke Street, and enjoyed fairly good health considering her age. On the 21st inst, she came on a visit his house, and left in the evening. A few minutes afterwards she was found at the bottom of the flight of steps on the first landing. She was insensible and died soon afterwards.

By the Coroner - There were no rails either side the steps.

Dr John Thomas Slater, of 1 Thornhill Crescent, Barnsbury, who was called to see the deceased, said on arrival he found her dead. The nose was broken and the face bruised. In his opinion death was due to syncope, following concussion of the brain and shock.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death”.

George Ivall (1853-1932) was Elizabeth’s 8^th child and my great grandfather.

Beaconsfield Buildings were situated off the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury district of Islington. They were designed by Charles Barry jnr. and were built by the Victoria Dwellings Association in the late 1870s. They were named after the Prime Minister, Lord Beaconsfield (Benjamin Disraeli) and aimed to provide “healthy and comfortable housing for the labouring classes”. The 383 flats were an attempt to alleviate overcrowding and were designed to accommodate 2,000 people. Conditions later deteriorated and the buildings became known as 'The Crumbles'. The flats were demolished during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the site became Bingfield Park. Pembroke Street is nearby.

Beaconsfield Buildings

Syncope is a word for a loss of consciousness resulting from a reduction in blood flow causing a shortage of oxygen to the brain.