Alfred Charles Ibbotson 1844-1926

Alfred was born in 1844 in Sydney to Charles Ibbotson (1813–1883) and Maryanne (née Dickens, 1812–1882). There is no record of his birth having been registered.

In late 1850, the family moved to Geelong, Victoria, where Charles soon became a partner with Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety in the latter’s wool broking, gold broking and general merchandise business. Dalgety moved back to England in 1854 leaving Charles in charge, with the partnership becoming Dalgety, Ibbotson and Co.

Most of Alfred and Alice’s life story is drawn from official records and Australian and later English newspaper archives. Alice and the children’s stories in particular are  largely drawn from the social pages and gossip columns in both London and Melbourne newspaper archives.  Much of Alice and other expatriate Australian’s activities in England  from the mid 1890s were reported by London based society correspondents and copied to Australian newspapers such as ‘Punch’.

In November 1873, at a Crown Lands sale, Alfred, on behalf of shareholders (of what it is not stated), purchased a block in Moorabool Street, Geelong, on which the Chamber of Commerce building stood and valued at £4,000, at the “upset” price of £12 per foot.

Alfred married Alice Clarissa Willis (1855–1921) on 3 June 1875 at Newtown, Geelong, Victoria when he was 31 and Alice 20. Alice was a niece of well known Tasmanian and Victorian pioneer, pastoralist Edward Willis (1816–1895) (more info). Her father, Edward’s brother Charles Willis (1815–1886), appears to have been less successful and was insolvent at the time of her marriage.

In April 1878, Alfred is a member and treasurer of the Geelong Fish Acclimatisation Society. He seeks permission to examine Lake Lorne for any fish that he had previously placed there. Granted, so long as any fish were returned to the lake (Lake Lorne was/is at Drysdale — the GFAS was established inter alia to promote a fish industry in Victoria. In 1876, 400 young perch and tench were imported from Evandale, Tasmania and released into local rivers and lakes.)

In August 1879, Alfred is a councillor with the Newtown & Chilwell Borough Council.

On 10 October 1879, the following notification appeared in Melbourne newspapers:

PARTNERSHIP NOTICE – Notice is hereby given, that Frederick Henry Moore, of Sydney; Arthur Rankin Blackwood of Melbourne; and Alfred Charles Ibbotson, of Geelong, were ADMITTED PARTNERS in our firms in London, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, on the 1st of October inst. (1879)

In 1880, further fish (trout fry) were forwarded for release into the Kiewa River near Yackandandah in the Victorian Alpine country. The Kiewa River in part ran near the Ibbotson’s Tawanga station.

In May 1881, Alfred and three others were appointed as trustees of land permanently set aside for the Geelong Protestant Orphanage Asylum in McCurdy Road, Herne Hill, Geelong. The orphanage had been established years earlier following an increase in orphaned and abandoned children consequential to the gold rush. The orphanage was a precursor to the Glastonbury orphanage at Belmont.

On 26 May 1882, Alfred’s mother Maryanne died at the family residence ‘The Heights’, Newtown. Father Charles died there the following year on 20 October 1883 after a series of illnesses.

In February 1884, Alfred is elected to replace his late father’s position on the board of the Geelong Gas Company.

After father Charles’ health had begun to deteriorate, and certainly by the time of his death in 1883, Alfred, in conjunction with Dalgety principal Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety based in London, was trustee managing his father’s personal and business affairs (held within a trust established by direction in Charles’ will of 1882) as well as being executor of his will.

In April 1884 the various Dalgety & Co. partnerships, including that of Dalgety, Ibbotson and Co., were formally dissolved at a meeting in London. Dalgety continued to operate as a joint-stock company styled Dalgety and Company Limited. It was listed on the London stock exchange in August 1884 and continued to prosper with Frederick as its managing director and largest shareholder until his death in 1896. Although not a director of the new entity, Alfred is mentioned in the contract effectively as an interested party. What Alfred’s role in the new company structure is not clear although there is little doubt that as a director since 1879 he would have been a significant shareholder in the new public company.

In May 1884, probate was granted to Alfred in the February will of his father written in February 1883. The estate, mostly contained in a trust, was worth many millions in today’s money, with the income from same to be shared between his children.

In August 1884, Alfred is re-elected to the Newtown & Chilwell, Geelong, Borough Council. Alfred has assumed a number of official civic positions previously held by his father as well as company directorships.

On 18 September 1884, Alfred is traveling by express train to Sydney, returning four days later with his uncle, Joseph Pounds, husband of Lilias Mary Pounds (née Ibbotson).

In October 1884, Alfred is elected as a steward for the Geelong Racing Club, a position his father had held for many years.

In October 1884, Alfred fulfils bequests made by his late father to the Sisters of Mercy, Ladies Benevolent Society, Geelong Infirmary and Benevolent Society and the New General Cemetery, each of £50. Charles’ will had included a provision for £500 to be put aside for the benefit of charitable organisations and the destitute.

In January 1885, an obituary appears in the Geelong Advertiser drawn from the London Times newspaper, reporting on the death of Charles Ross, a veteran 63-year reporter covering the English House of Commons parliamentary proceedings. Ross was the husband of Ann Hyde Ross (née Ibbotson), the elder sister of Alfred’s father.

In July 1885, Alfred is a steward at the opening day of the 1885 Geelong Races. Alice presents the winners cup, a rare occasion on which she appears in the local newspapers in Geelong (It seems that Geelong did not have a very active social scene at the time Alice and Alfred lived there or perhaps she did not have the time with five young children. That was to change markedly from the time the family moved to Melbourne around 1890.)

In October 1885, Alfred is holding an auction at Spray House Farm, Bellarine, of all stock including horses, cattle and sheep as well as all farming implements, due to the farm being leased. At the time, the farm is technically owned by Charles Ibbotson’s then unmarried daughter Fanny Ibbotson. It was gifted to Fanny by Charles some time before his death in 1883. After Fanny’s marriage in 1887 she and her husband lived there for the rest of their lives.

In February 1886, Alfred is re-elected as director of the Geelong Gas Company. Another directorship ‘inherited’ from his father.

In March 1886, Alfred is selling 20 prime cattle at Spray House Farm, Bellarine.

In March 1886, Alfred is granted a license in connection with the 86,000-acre Tawonga run.

On 3 May 1887, the Bishop of Melbourne undertakes an official visit to Geelong. Alfred provides his carriage for the Bishop’s use. Alfred must have owned the best of carriages in Geelong at the time. On other similar occasions his carriage was described as a ‘barouche’.

In May 1887, Alfred sold his 1,737-acre freehold property at Meredith, Victoria.

In November 1887, Alfred, with three other prominent Geelong identities, is again asked to lend his carriage for the use of the vice-regal party (Governor Sir Henry Brougham Loch) at a Geelong event related to Queen Victoria’s 50th Jubilee celebrations.

In Feb 1889, Alfred is again re-elected as director of the Geelong Gas Company.

During 1889, Alfred resigns his position as a steward for the Geelong Racing Club.

In December 1890, Alice hosts a reception at her residence, ‘Holmwood’ in St Kilda. Holmwood was a prominent St Kilda mansion and appears to have been the family’s initial rented Melbourne home on moving from Geelong. From this point on, until her departure for Europe, Alice is either an attendee or host at numerous society events in Melbourne.

April 1891, Alfred’s long-time Newtown, Geelong residence ‘Laurel Bank’ (Corner of Pakington & Virginia Streets) is put up for let. This appears to be a precursor to the family’s move from Geelong to Toorak, Melbourne. At one point there were up to 14 persons living on the property, presumably including staff/servants. ‘Laurel Bank’ is long gone and now (2025) an empty block of land.

In May 1891, a clearance sale of Alfred’s ‘remaining’ furniture is held at Laurel Bank “as a consequence of his removal to Melbourne.”

In February 1892, Alfred is again re-elected as director of the Geelong Gas Company.

In October 1892, Alfred is still a member of the Queenscliff Bowling Club. He has owned a holiday house in Queenscliff known as ‘Wanstead’ for many years. Wanstead was named after Alice’s grandfather’s sheep property in Tasmania.

By the mid 1890s, Alfred, as trustee, appears to have largely completed the winding up of his late father’s affairs primarily through the sale of extensive landholdings, mostly income-generating leases, with the proceeds going into Charles’ trust for the benefit of Alfred and his siblings (to the specific exclusion of spouses) and with provision also for grandchildren’s education.

In January 1891, Alfred & Alice’s teenage daughters, Lilia’s and Mary, are bridesmaids at a military wedding in Geelong.

In November 1892, Alfred places a signed notice in the Queenscliff Sentinel offering a £10 reward regarding the destruction of his bathing box on the Southern Beach.

In June 1893, Alice hosted a musical event at her residence, the mansion known as ‘Myrnong’, Toorak.

In September 1893 Alice attended a reception at Government House, Melbourne hosted by Lady Hopetoun, the wife of Victorian Governor Lord Hopetoun (later to become Australia’s first Governor-General at Federation.)

In October 1893, Alice is hosting a tea at ‘Myrnong’, Toorak.

In November 1893, Alfred and Alice were among guests at a formal Melbourne Club ball attended by the Governor and his wife along with the cream of Melbourne society.

In December 1893 the family are at their seaside home ‘Wanstead’ at Queenscliff where they are to remain until they leave for Europe in the new year. Their Queenscliff home was named after Alice’s grandfather’s property in Tasmania. Alice makes a “handsome” donation to the Queenscliff Bowling & Tennis Club.

On 19 March 1894 Alice hosted a reception at the Austral Salon, a Melbourne women’s organisation whose membership included much of Melbourne’s high society.

Last Monday afternoon Mr Alfred Ibbotson held an afternoon reception at the Austral Salon.   There was a large gathering of members and friends and the affair passed off very successfully and pleasantly.  The hostess, who is a very clever amateur pianist, contributed three numbers, which were most enjoyed.  Note:  The first line  should have read Mrs Alfred Ibbotson.

In the days leading up to Alice and children’s departure for Europe, Alfred and Alice attended a further formal Melbourne Club ball.

On 31 March 1894, a shipping notice appears in a newspaper reporting on the departure from Melbourne of the French mail ship Armand Behic for Marseille, France.  Passengers included Mrs Alfred Ibbotson and the Misses Ibbotson.  A corresponding official shipping manifest has the passengers as Mrs Ibbotson along with 4 of her 5 children and a 20 year old servant.  By May they were in Paris when another newspaper reports that Mrs Ibbotson has had to postpone her presentation at Court (Buckingham Palace) due to her young son’s (10-year-old Harold Arthur) illness in Paris  (Alice was presented before Queen Victoria in March of the following year.)   Associated gossip columns reported that Mrs Ibbotson  would be traveling for around 2 years.   It was over a year before Alfred joined the family in London.

In September 1894, Alfred bought 500 shares at £1 per share in a new Bendigo gold mining venture, the Pearl Company.

In February 1895, Alfred is re-elected as a director of the Geelong Gas Company.

On 5 March 1895, Alice is presented at court at Buckingham Palace to Queen Victoria by the Countess of Kimberley. Daughter Lilias was also present.

In late March 1895,  Alfred and Arthur Rankin Blackwood, Colonial Superintendent of Dalgety and Co., both with their Valets, sailed for New Zealand.  They visited  Otago Region where Alfred’s brother Frank William Ibbotson was farming.   Part of the visit’s purpose was to trial and market Blackwood’s new rabbit poison product known then as ‘Kill Closer’.  New Zealand was enduring a severe rabbit plague at the time and having an impact on Dalgety and the  Ibbotson family’s extensive land holdings.  At one time, Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety, as Dalgety and Co. principle, was New Zealand’s largest land owner holding over 1 million acres.

On 10 May 1895, Alfred and Arthur Blackwood and their Valets departed Dunedin, New Zealand returning to Melbourne.

In July 1895, Alice and family (it is not clear if Alfred has joined Alice from Melbourne by now) are reported as residing at the Royal Palace Hotel, Kensington and would not be returning to Melbourne this year.

In August 1895, Alice’s uncle Edward Willis died at Goring-on-Thames, near Reading.  The Ibbotsons, who were staying at Goring at the time, attended  the funeral (both Alice & Alfred were buried at Goring in 1921and 1926 respectively.)

On 6 September 1895, the following appeared in the Melbourne Punch newspaper:

Mrs Ibbotson is spending September in the Western Highlands where she and her five children put in the time most agreeably golfing and visiting among charming friends.  During the London season I thought she looked delicate and anxious, due no doubt to the responsibility of making desirable arrangements for so many; but I hear that the Scottish air has done wonders for her, and that she now looks winsome and bonnie as of old.  Her youngest son, too, has become much stronger in England and his school records are excellent (see Harold Arthur Ibbotson below.)  During the last term he secured a prize for classics.  One of the younger girls, Miss Molly, (see Alice Mary Ibbotson below) is making great progress with her music, and she and Miss Winifred Howden-Smith – daughter of Australia’s late Admiral, are to play a duet at a school performance next term.  Mrs Ibbotson goes to Dublin and Killarney at the end of the month, and having several friends in the Green Isle she should have a nice time.

In September 1895, Alice and Miss Ibbotson are at Sandown races.

In November 1895, Alfred and Alice attended a reception in Kensington, London, hosted by Douglas Sladen, a prominent Melbourne academic and author. Sladen was a nephew of former Victorian Premier Sir Charles Sladen. He had emigrated from Melbourne the previous year. The reception included “a number of people famous in literature, art or music” as well as members of the diplomatic community. Alfred and Alice had known the Sladen family in Melbourne. This was the first newspaper confirmation of Alfred’s arrival in London.

By January 1896, the family has taken up residence at 28 Green Street, Park Lane. Relatives of Alice, the Tasmanian Solicitor-General Alfred Dobson and his wife, are visiting.

In July 1896, Alfred and 20-year-old eldest daughter Lilias are leaving London for the country.

In September 1896, Alice is visiting Scotland and Ireland with her children.

On 18 May 1897, Alice presented 19-year-old daughter Mary (Alice Mary Ibbotson) at Court before the Princess of Wales, on behalf of Queen Victoria, at a large formal reception at Buckingham Palace. Lilias was also present.

In June 1897, Alfred is returning from Melbourne to join his family at 28 Greens Street, Park Lane. He had departed Melbourne in April on the Ville de la Ciotat accompanied by his elder sister Ada (Baroness de Pury) and her two adult sons. It is not known when he had left London for Melbourne on this trip.

In December 1897, the family’s large consignment of furniture and household effects from ‘Myrnong’ Toorak, including three pianos, is being auctioned in Melbourne.

Around this time, Alfred formally resigns his position as a director of Geelong Gas Company, a position he has held since his father’s death in 1883.

In August 1898, Alice and family have “left town for the season”. “Mrs Ibbotson has abandoned her Autumn visit to Ireland.”

In March 1899, Alice “left London yesterday for Paris accompanied by her second daughter (Alice Mary): Miss Ibbotson, who was in London last week, has returned to North Wales to join her father (Alfred) but will be a large party for the Grand National. If possible, she (Alice) will remain abroad until Easter spending that fete at Monte Carlo, but the family will be back at their townhouse at 28 Greens Street, Park Lane for the season. Lady Sarah Wilson is among the gay throng at Monte Carlo, where she had the honour of dining with the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward V11) the other evening.”

Alfred and Alice’s youngest son, Harold Arthur Ibbotson, is attending Eton College. He is registered as a student undertaking military studies with his home addresses given as both Rainthorpe Hall, Norwich and 28 Green Street, Park Lane, London. He appears to have attended from 1897 when he would have been 13 years of age, the age at which Eton accepted students. He was undertaking military studies. (Although another article refers to Alice visiting her sons at Eton, I cannot locate elder son Charles Herbert Alfred Ibbotson in the Eton records. At some point however he had joined the British South Africa Constabulary serving for over three years during the Boer War of 1897–1902.)

In January 1900, Alice is entertaining at her Norfolk residence (Rainthorpe Hall) with guests including the famous Victorian soprano Miss Maggie Sterling.

In October 1900, Alfred’s aunt, Lilias Mary Pounds (née Ibbotson) dies in Lausanne, Switzerland. Alfred is an executor to her will of the same year and his address is given as Rainthorpe Hall, Norwich, England.

(Rainthorpe Hall is now a Grade 1 listed mansion. Although it was owned by Colonel Sir Charles Hastings during Alfred’s time, for many years Alfred and his family used it as a country retreat spending months at a time there.)

In May 1900, Alice is returning to London from Rainthorpe Hall with her daughter “for the season.”

In August 1900, Alice and the Misses Ibbotson have returned to Rainthorpe Hall. Miss Ibbotson (doesn’t say which daughter) has just returned from an extended tour of Italy.

On 31 March 1901, a Census was conducted throughout England. Alfred and Alice, along with children Lilias, Laura & Harold were present at 28 Green Street, Park Lane. Also present was a cook, butler, two housemaids, kitchen maid and a footman. Alice Mary was absent as was Charles Herbert who was either still in South Africa or Australia.

In October 1901, Alfred and family have left 28 Green Street and will move into their new residence at nearby 45 Hill Street, Berkeley-Square (Mayfair) in November.

Back in Melbourne, in December 1902, Alfred was directed to pay £10,000 as his share of a court judgement brought against him and two other trustees of a deceased estate, notwithstanding that one of the other trustees, a now deceased solicitor, was the perpetrator of the fraud against the deceased’s estate.

In May 1902, Alice and youngest daughter Laura are present at Court before King Edward V11 at Buckingham Palace.

In January 1904, the following appears in the Dover Express newspaper:

The marriage arranged between Eustace, fourth son of Mr and Mrs C. W. Curtis of Kearnsey Abbey near Dover, and Laura, youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs Alfred Ibbotson, 45 Hill Street, Berkeley-Square will take place on Tuesday the 16th of February at St Mark’s Church, North Audley, at half-past two o’clock.

Alice, accompanied by unmarried daughter Alice Mary, has made at least one return visit to Melbourne. In 1905 she is reported in a Melbourne newspaper to be in Macedon. It is not clear if Alfred was with them. It is probable that they were visiting Alfred’s cousin Mary Peet (née Ibbotson, daughter of Charles’ brother John) who had emigrated and settled at Macedon earlier.

Little is heard of Alfred or Alice for the next 15 years or so. The social and gossip pages go quiet. The children have either married or left London.

By the early 1920s, Alfred and Alice are living in a town-house at 9 Burton Court, Lower Sloane Street, Chelsea.

Alice died there on 13 September 1921 aged 66 years. Alfred died there on 20 June 1926 aged 82 years. Both are buried at St Thomas of Canterbury, Goring, South Oxfordshire along with their daughter Laura Curtis 1879-1959 and son Harold Arthur 1883-1963 who had died in Vancouver, Canada and whose ashes were spread at the site.

Alfred’s Will and probate can be found at public website prov.vic.gov.au.  In short, the beneficiaries of his considerable wealth, largely contained within a trust, went to his adult children.