Robert
Thomas Ivall (1812-65) was a brother of my ancestor David Ivall (1816-67).
There is an item https://ivall.blogspot.com/2012/05/robert-thomas-ivall-1812-65-coachmaker.html about his life on this blog. He was a coachmaker in High
Wycombe who moved to Chalvey (now a district of Slough) after his business
failed and he was declared bankrupt in 1847. He became secretary of his local
branch of the Ancient Order of Foresters in 1848. This was a Friendly Society
that began in 1834. Its members paid a few pence a week into a common fund from
which sick pay and funeral grants could be drawn. Robert was secretary for 17
years, until he died in 1865.
I
have recently found two contrasting newspaper items which relate to Robert as secretary.
One was published in the Windsor and Eton Express on 23 July 1859. It reads
“The
Chairman then rose and said it had been the wish of the members for some months
past to pay some mark of respect to their worthy secretary of the district,
Brother Ivall, for his unwearied labours, the honesty and the integrity with
which had discharged his duties for a long period, and it was to him (Mr.
Stringer) a source of great pleasure be present, and place in the hands of
their worthy Brother a presentation that was both useful and ornamental. A
highly finished libra lever watch, accompanied with massive gold chain, was
then placed in the hands of Mr. R. T. Ivall, the watch bearing the following
inscription “ Presented by the Brothers of the Bucks and Middlesex District of
the Ancient Order of Foresters to Mr. R. T. Ivall, to mark their sense of the
zeal and assiduity evinced by him in the discharge of his duties district
secretary for period of 11 years; also for the valuable services rendered him
to the Order in general. July 18, 1859.” We understand the Order was completed
by Bennett of London, at cost of 11 guineas. Mr. Ivall rose amidst enthusiastic
cheering, and in appropriate and grateful terms thanked the members for the
mark of esteem they had bestowed upon him, which to the last days of his
existence would be looked upon by him with much pleasure. Mr. Ivall, in a very
able manner, referred to the origin of the Order, the opposition it had to contend
with, the progress it had made, and the vast amount of good it was still doing.”
Robert
died on 13 August 1865 aged 52. The letter below was published in the Uxbridge
& W. Drayton Gazette on 28 October 1865 under the headline “THE FRAUDS BY A
DISTRICT SECRETARY”. Defalcation is the taking or illegal use of money by
someone who has responsibility for it.
“Mr.
EDITOR. In the remarks in your valuable paper of the 24th inst., about the late
Mr. R. T. Ivall, I beg leave respectfully to state you have been misinformed,
and I shall feel obliged by your inserting in your next the following
explanation. The first part of your article I much regret to state is true,
respecting the numbers in the district, the amount of defalcation and the
ultimate loss to the funds; but there needs some comment on the defalcation
found out. At the meeting held at the North Star Tavern, on the 16th inst., it
was quite clear to most of the brethren present, that a great portion of the
deficiency in cash was sent to the late Mr. R. T. Ivall a few days previous to
his death, and when asked for by the proper authorities after he died, the
amount was not forthcoming; but I fully believe had Brother Ivall lived until
the day of meeting, the money would have been paid in correctly, as the books were quite right and properly entered, therefore proving he did his work well as long as he was able. The second
portion of the letter where you say "About five years ago several
well-wishers of the Foresters disapproved of the manner in which the accounts
were kept, and one member was fined £1 for speaking on the question at a
district court meeting, by those who have now found out that frauds against the
society have been carried on for years," is quite erroneous, for at the
delegate meeting referred to, held at the North Star Tavern, Slough, on the
21st October, 1861, the books, accounts and vouchers had been examined by
William Mercer, Esq., solicitor, of Uxbridge, and were found perfectly correct
throughout. Since that period they have been regularly audited twice a year by
the delegates. I certainly think it is a great insult to the whole of the
district, numbering 1,833 members, that out of the 18 Courts, not one man can
be found from each Court able to audit the accounts previous to the Meeting.
You state charges had been brought against the district secretary by the
well-wishers of Foresters, no doubt, but the delegate Meeting found these
charges not proven, the books being returned correct. The above well-wishers
appealed against even that decision of the gentlemen who examined to the High
Court of Foresters, and that tribunal fully confirmed the decision of the
delegates then present. In reference to the member whom you state was fined £1
for speaking on the question, this is incorrect. He was fined £1 1s for
circulating mischievous documents in connection with the charge against the
district secretary; and had he been justly dealt with, he should have been
expelled the order without a fine. The last part of your paragraph which
states, "It becomes apparent that a system of secretaryship, clear to the
members of a benefit association, should be adopted, so that the particulars of
receipts and expenditure may be known at short intervals, and an opportunity of
continuous defalcation be prevented," I quite agree with; and this view
was properly placed before the meeting on the 16th inst. by the audit
committee, at the last sitting of the delegates. I likewise sincerely hope that
the brethren who are sent to our future meetings at Slough will see that this
is carried out.
I
am, Sir, yours respectfully
A
delegate at the meetings on October 21st 1861 and October 16th 1865.”
It
is not clear to me what happened to the missing cash. As “the books were quite
right and properly entered”, it seems unlikely Robert was attempting to steal
the money. Perhaps Robert’s mental ability was affected by the illness that
caused his death?
The
Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer dated 26th October 1895 published a report on
the Annual Meeting of the Ancient Order of Foresters (Bucks and Middlesex
district). The speaker at the meeting detailed the history of the organization,
saying that Robert Thomas Ivall was elected District Secretary in 1848 and held
the post for the next 17 years. He kept the minute book “in as perfect a manner
as anyone could possibly keep it.” There was no mention of funds going missing
under his secretaryship, so perhaps the money was located after Robert’s death?
