Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Private Alfred John Ives was born in 1885 and lived in Norwich.  His father had died by 1901, and his mother Elizabeth was looking after four children.  The family lived at 2 Piggs Buildings, Horns Lane, Norwich with another son Edward living with the family next door at number 1.

In 1909, Alfred married Hilda Mabel Neve in Norwich and settled at 1 Leggs Opening, Horns Lane.  Hilda’s sister Constance was living with them by 1911.  Alfred was a wood sawyer involved in cooperage (barrel making) at the mustard factory.  In 1915 they had their first child, Stanley.

Alfred was travelling with a group of five comrades when he passed through Peterborough East Station on 4 October 1916. They signed the visitors’ book “Five boys of the 2/5th Yorks “C” company rested here and passed on refreshed”

We were unable to locate Alfred’s full service record but we know that he served with at least four different battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment and was serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers at the end of the war.  He was awarded the British and Allied Victory Medals.

In 1926, he and Hilda had a second son, Rodney.  In 1939, they were still living at the same address in Norwich although now called Leggs Buildings.  Aged 54, he was working as a flour mill machinery assistant.  Alfred died in his native Norwich aged 73 in 1959.

Please get in touch if you can tell us more about Private Ives.