Ivy Lavinia Bull born about 1895, in Loughton, Essex

For related information see www.the-kirbys.org.uk, Ancestor List, Place Index and Wills Index

---

Summary

Yet to be summarised.

Parents and family

Family records identify Ivy as the daughter of Arthur BULL and  Lavinia. Her parents turn out to be Arthur Henry Frederick BULL and Lavinia Maria CURTIS.

Birth

Ivy was born at home, in High Beech Road, Loughton on 4 Feb 1895.
Details from here birth certificate are:

Childhood and education

The 1901 Census has her living at High Beech Road, at which time the family comprised:

• Arthur H. F. BULL, Head, M[arried], 3[2 or 3],  Town Postmaster, Worker, London, St Pancras
• Levenia M. BULL, Wife, M, 40, , , Somerset, Castele Cary
• Wallaciana MCINTOSH, Step Daur, , 14, , , Surrey, Guildford
• Ivy Levenia BULL, Daughter, , 6, , , Essex, Loughton
• Gladys E. BULL, Daur, , 1[6 or 8] mo, , Essex, Loughton

Family group. Left to right - Lavinia Maria BULL Ivy Lavinia BULL Arthur Henry Frederick BULL Gladys E. BULL Dog's name unknown!

At the time of her death, a friend called Frank ASKEW recalled how his aunt lived next door to the BULLs at High Beech and, as children, he, Ivy and Gladys used to play together, on Saturday afternoons after he had done his aunt's shopping.

Ivy's Stamp Collection

It was probably inevitable that the a post office family should take up collecting stamps and what better stamp to start it with than a Penny Black.  The collection was divided upon Ivy's death and then pruned to focus on the British Empire countries. Long ago it's curators ceased to try and build up a continuous series of every type of English definitive stamp (by denomination and basic colour), some were simply too rare for that. Instead the focus was on the more frequently encountered species. Whilst not especially valuable, it is a bit of family history that is still in the family. The fate of an accompanying postcard collection is unknown, it having been passed on before it's potential genealogical significance was realised.

Ivy's first autograph book

For Christmas 1910 Ivy was given an autograph book with a lady in a red hat pictured on the cover. The dated entries are mostly from the period 1911-13, But there are a few later entries including:

• A page with a drawing stuck in out of sequence, "Keep the Home Fires Burning", signed 'A.N.  Gaza  Sep 1917';
• "The Water Mill" signed 'B.P. 3rd Essex Reg't  1915';
• A watercolour of a purple orchid, signed 'E. H. Hicks, January 15 1922'.

Pressings from afar

Amongst the family heirlooms is an small red-covered autograph book used by Ivy when she was at High Road, Loughton, and containing items which where probably sent to her by her father and her future husband during their wartime service. Each page has a single item, as follows:

• Leaves from a maidenhair fern and an ivy, labled Kailana;
• A selaginellid club-moss, labled Kailana;
• The mid-rib of a crumbling leaf, labled Egypt;
• A sprig of of a plant, possibly a Teucrium, labled  Holyland Heather;
• A boll of cotton;
• A card with pressed flowers, with printed title 'Flowers from the holy land'

The book also contains four pressed butterflies as follows:

• Two appear to be Danaus chrysippus, the Plain Tiger, which is widespread in Asia and Africa;
• The third is a species of Junonia, very similar to the American Junonia coenia, the Common Buckeye;
• The fourth is a form of Papilio demoleus, the Common Lime Butterfly, the most widely distributed swallowtail species in the world.

The commoness and dispirate distribution of these species raises the possibility that they were specimens bred in captive.

A mysterious card from France

In Feb 1917, when she would have been about 22, she received a postcard dated 26.2.17 and posted from France, sent to 5 Kings Green, Loughton, Essex. This address is also associated with Ethel MCINTOSH. It was simply of  'Le Gendamarie' and was passed by a field censor.

A wartime romance

During the first world war Ivy was courting Arthur NEVILLE. On 3 Nov 1917 her sweetheart 'gave his life for another outside Gaza' (from a memorial card). A photograph of the cross on his grave reads '200725 Sgt A NEVILLE 1/4 th. Bn Essex  Regt 3~11~17'

Family group. Left to right - Ivy Lavinia BULL Lavinia Maria BULL Gadys E. BULL

Employment

Before marring it is believed that she spent some time in the Post Office. In Feb 1919 the appointment of one Ivy L BULL at Woodford Green is listed in the British Postal Service Appointment Books. (British Postal Museum and Archive; Series: POST 58; Reference Number: 115.). The London Gazette of 6 June 1919 carries, in a list of "Certificates Isssued, etc.", in the without competition section for May 26th 1919, the following entry:  "Post Office:" . . . "Female Sorting Clerks and Telegraphists” . . . “Ivy Lavinia Bull (Loughton Woodford Green).”

Marriage to Ernest Hicks

In 1928, aged 33, she married Ernest Henry HICKS at St Margaret's Church, Loughton. Registration is Ivy L BULL & Ernest H HICKS, Epping, Apr Q 1928, 4a 1002. The story of their life together is continued in the biography of Ernest Henry HICKS.

Ivy Hicks,  1960

Life as a widow

In 1972 her husband Ernest died, and on 3 May 1972 she re-made her will.

At least in latter life she she had a collecting tin for the Canine Defense League.

Last Will and Testament

Dated 3 May 1972. After token bequests of £100 to her grandchildren and £300 to her son-in-law and executor, the balance was to go to her only daughter. Should her daughter not survive then the residue to be distributed as follows: half to her son-in-law; half in trust to be shared equally by any grandchild that survive Ivy and reach the age of 21.

Death

Died in hospital after having been there for a few weeks. She was admitted in Sutton Coldfield as she had been brought up from Loughton to be near her family. Death Registration is Ivy Lavinia HICKS, born 04 Feb 1895, reg. Birmingham, Dec Q 1974, 32 0503. The certificate has the following details Died Twentysecond November 1974; at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield; Ivy Lavinia Hicks; Female; Maiden name Bull; born 4th February 1895, Chigwell Epping; Widow of Ernest Henry Hicks, Postman (retired), 51 Staples Road, Loughton, Essex; Informat Pamela Kirby, daughter, of 19 Brownsfield Road, Lichfield, Staffs.; Cause a) Acute Lymphatic Leukemia, b) Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia.
Registerd 25 Nov 1974.

She left an estate that raised £12,893.09. 

Burial

Ivy was cremated at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium, near Birmingham. The exact date is not in the family records but the receipt is dated 13 Dec 1974. There is also a record of a cheque sent 11 Dec 1974 in response to a letter concerning entries in the Books of Remembrance, the entry itself being expected to be made on 18 Dec 1974.

The following notification of death is taken from a newspaper clipping in the family archives (the publication details are not given):

Descendants and notable relations

To be completed.

---

Any transcripts and images on this page are Copyright R I Kirby 2005 unless stated otherwise.