(originally published in Journal 54, July 2012, of the NLRHS)

 

Andrew Ivison was born in 1833 in Brigstock, Northamptonshire. His parents were William Ivison, born circa 1799 in Kingsgrove, Cumberland, an accountant, and Elizabeth Parke, born circa 1813 in Cheapside, Middlesex. He was one of eight children. Andrew married Amy Puxley who was 23 years old from Alby, Norfolk, on 11 October, 1856, at Lee Green, Lewisham. They had four children between about 1857 and 1862, only three survived, one died as an infant. His occupation on marriage and at the 1861 census was dairyman. He appeared to be doing reasonably well as he was able to employ a house servant.¹

He joined the NLR as a porter on the 21 October, 1868, on a wage of 18 shillings a week. He gave his previous employment as a porter at Savill’s brewery and his age as 30. It was also the very day he “married” bigamously a lady named Emma Underwood. On the 21 November, 1868, his left arm was cut off when he fell between a moving train and the platform at Homerton station. He was taken to hospital where he died on the 4 December, 1868, of, according to his death certificate, “violent exhaustion fractured arm accident on a railway.”

It would appear that Andrew may have lied about his age, especially as he appears to have had another family, between Amy Puxley and Emma Underwood. He is believed to have “married” Mary Ann Dann sometime between Amy in 1856 and Emma in 1868, resulting in the birth of Albert Edward Ivison 27 December 1863 in Aldgate. Albert is the ancestor of a co-researcher of this family, both she and the author have searched extensively for a marriage between Andrew and Mary Ann but nothing has been found. Neither has any trace of Albert’s birth registration, another mystery! His baptism is also strange, as it was not until 12 June 1881, when he would have been 18. The baptismal register shows Andrew as his father and his occupation as a railway guard, even though Andrew had been dead for 13 years. Mary Ann Dann, who was born in Sussex, might possibly have taken his name, because she was pregnant and that a marriage did not actually take place. Oddly enough on the 1871 Census, Mary Ann “Ivison” was living with Albert Edward her son at 15 Haydon Street, Whitechapel, which was the same address Andrew gave when he married Emma Underwood in 1868.

Just another snippet, Andrew was baptised Matthew Andrew, which seems to have helped him with his deception!

When Amy Ivison, the author’s great-great-grandmother, died in 1914 she was described as the “widow of Andrew Ivison Railway Porter.” Did she not know about his bigamous marriage, although she would have still been his widow, or, because he died within about five to six weeks of the “marriage,” did it never come to light?

From the North London Railway side there appears to be a blank in connexion with his death: the committee minutes concerning his accident and his death does not contain the usual “grant of £10 to the widow plus £5 funeral expenses;” and the result of the coroner’s inquiry does not appear to have been recorded in the minutes as was usual. He was, however, granted half pay sick leave, as was normal in cases such as this, but this would have ceased on his death. Strangely the staff register mentions neither his accident nor his death. The right hand page of the ledger, where a railwayman’s history with the NLR is recorded, is completely blank. Whether anything can be read into the lack of ‘standard procedures’ is anyones guess. Did he believe that his amorous affair and bigamous marriage were about to catch up with him and suicide was on his mind? When attempting suicide people normally jump in front trains, not between moving trains and platforms. The latter was an occupational hazard with station staff, a not uncommon cause of injuries and deaths.

Like most things historical about the North London Railway there is conflicting evidence, and Ivison’s death was no different. He died in two places. The NLR version is the London Hospital yet the coroner recorded the German Hospital. Both hospitals were used regularly by NLR railwaymen who were injured in accidents.

Should anyone reading this article, feel they have any additional information, which could add to this story, Sue would be interested in hearing from them. Sue can be contacted though the Editor.

Sue Johnson, his great great granddaughter,

with railway research by Peter Bloomfield

Sources:

Family records in the possession of the author.

RAIL 529/132/745 Folio 151 (NLR staff register).

RAIL 529/43:

3 Nov 1868, Loco Com Min 548 (appointment to NLR);

1 Dec 1868, Loco Com Min 565 (accident);

29 Dec 1868, Loco Com Min 585 (death).

Footnote:

1. NLR clerks employed domestic servants when their salary reached about £250-£300.

_____________________________________________________

Andrew Ivison – Working Notes

NLR History

21 Oct 1868. Appt. Porter, Shoreditch. New appt. Pay 18s. Previously a porter at Savill’s Brewery. Age 30. Height 5ft 7ins. [RAIL 529/132/745 Folio 151 (staff register), RAIL 529/43, 3 Nov 1868, Loco Com Min 548.]

21 Nov 1868. Porter. Fell between train and platform at Homerton, when his left arm was cut off by the train. Granted half pay [RAIL 529/43, 1 Dec 1868, Loco Com Min 565.]

4 Dec 1868. Porter. Died as a result of injuries in the London Hospital. [RAIL 529/43, 29 Dec 1868, Loco Com Min 585.]

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Personal details

Baptism

Name: Matthew Andrew Ivison

Gender: Male

Baptism/Christening Date: 03 Sep 1834

Baptism/Christening Place: INDEPENDENT, BRIGSTOCK, NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND

Birth Date: 27 Mar 1833

Father’s Name: William Ivison

Mother’s Name: Elizabeth

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C07446-1

System Origin: England-ODM

Source Film Number: 825336

Marriage Dec qtr 1856, Ivison, Andrew, and Puxley, Amy, Lewisham, 1d, 943

Marriage Dec qtr 1868, Ivison, Andrew, and, Underwood, Emma, Whitechapel, 1c, 813. (21 Oct 1868)

Death Dec qtr 1868, Ivison, Andrew, 30, Hackney, 1b, 314.

Death Jun 1914, Ivison, Amy, 81, Brentford, 3a, 191

======

Censuses

1841 Census [HO 107/659, Book/Folio: 1/32, Page: 17]

Registration District: Whitechapel

Civil Parish: Old Artillery Ground

Address: Steward Street, Old Artillery Ground, The Tower Hamlets

IVISON, William M 40 1801

IVISON, Elizabeth F 30 1811 Middlesex

IVISON, Thomas M 15 1826 Middlesex

IVISON, William M 10 1831

IVISON, Andrew M 8 1833

IVISON, Fletcher M 5 1836 Middlesex

IVISON, James M 2 1839 Middlesex

CAMBRIDGE, Ann F 60 1781

 

1851 Census [HO 107/1613, Folio: 118, Page: 9]

Registration District: Sevenoaks

Civil Parish: Shoreham

Address: Shoreham Street, Shoreham, Kent

IVESON, William P Head Married M 52 1799 Accountant Kingsgrove

IVESON, Elizabeth Wife Married F 38 1813 Wife Cheapside

IVESON, William George Son U/m M 20 1831 Farmers Assistant Brigstock

IVESON, Andrew Son U/m M 18 1833 Maltsters Assistant Brigstock

IVESON, Fletcher Son U/m M 15 1836 At Home Vale House, Middlesex

IVESON, James Son M 11 1840 At Home Vale House, Middlesex

IVESON, Elizabeth Emma Daughter F 9 1842 At Home Stewart Street, Middlesex

IVESON, George Son M 7 1844 At Home Hackney

IVESON, Benjamin Son M 5 1846 At Home Hackney

IVESON, Henry Son M 2 1849 At Home Shoreham, Kent

 

1861 Census [RG 9/413, Folio: 39, Page: 2]

Registration District: Lewisham

Civil Parish: Lewisham

Address: Montpelier Vale, Lewisham

IVISON, Mathew AndrewHead Married M 28 1833 Dairyman Brigstock, Bugbrooke, Northants

IVISON, Amy Wife Married F 28 1833 Alby Common, Norfolk

IVISON, Mary Elizth Daughter F 4 1857 Lee, Kent

*IVISON, Andrew Ths Son M 2 1859 Lee, Kent

BROOKS, Margaret Servant U/m F 19 1842 House Servant Lambeth, Surrey

 

1871 Census [RG 10/759, Folio: 54, Page: 59]

Registration District: Greenwich

Civil Parish: Greenwich

Address: Lizbar Cottages, Greenwich

IVISON, Amy Head Widow F 38 1833 Seamster Alby Common

IVISON, Mary E Daughter F 14 1857 Lee

IVISON, Thomas Son M 11 1860 Lee

IVISON, Benjamin Son M 9 1862 Greenwich

*There is someone called Andrew Fletcher Thomas Ivison and when he married on 29 Jul 1883 in St John the Evangelist, Blackheath, he said his father Andrew was a dairyman. Therefore he did not know about his father being on the railway?

*ANDREW FLETCHER THOMAS IVISON WAS MY GREAT GRANDFATHER, HE WAS ONLY NINE YEARS OLD WHEN HIS FATHER DIED, AS HIS FATHER HAD WORKED ON THE RAILWAY FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME ANDREW F.T. PROBABLY, NEVER KNEW ABOUT HIM WORKING FOR THE RAILWAY. ALSO ANDREW SNR. MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH HIS FAMILY FULL TIME AFTER ABOUT 1864, SO A.F.T. COULD HAVE BEEN ONLY FIVE WHEN HE LAST KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT ANDREW SNR.

1871 Census [RG 10/523, Folio: 131, Page: 6] née Dann

Registration District: Whitechapel

Civil Parish: Holy Trinity Minories

Address: Haydon Street, Whitechapel

IVESON, Mary Anne Head Widow F 28 1843 Seller of Milk Heathfield, Sussex

IVESON, Albert Son M 7 1864 Aldgate, Middlesex

His baptism is also strange, as it was not until 12 June 1881, when he would have been 18. The baptismal register shows Andrew as his father and his occupation as a railway guard, even though Andrew had been dead for 13 years.