Leonard Fordham Ivall Obituary

Leonard Fordham Ivall (1912-91) was my mother’s second cousin. There is an item about his life on this blog. I recently found a short obituary about him, published by the Aberdeen Press and Journal on August 22^nd 1991, in the British Newspaper Archive. It reads :

Former architecture consultant dies

Retired Elgin architectural consultant and a well-known personality in the Moray town, Mr Len Ivall, 113 Morriston Road, died yesterday. He was 79. Originally from Cornwall, Mr Ivall moved to Elgin while serving with the Royal Engineers in the early 1940s.

 In his professional work, he was involved with the design of many of the Royal Mission to Deep Sea Fisherman centres in the northern half of Scotland. He also specialised in hotel design. But his main interest, particularly in latter years, was the Elgin Club in Commerce Street, of which he was a long-standing committee member, trustee and served as president from 1973-1984. He was one of the small group of local businessmen who helped the club survive when it was facing financial difficulties in the 1960s.

Mr Ivall is survived by his wife.

Google Maps shows 113 Morriston Road to be a fairly modern bungalow in Elgin.

The Elgin Club was founded by a group of eminent local gentlemen in 1863. It was housed in imposing, purpose-built premises completed in 1869. It operated as a gentleman’s club until the late twentieth century, when ladies were permitted membership. The club closed in 2002 due to falling membership and increased running costs. The building is now being converted into an entertainment venue and boutique hotel.