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The Lovell Family of Bedford

The Lovell Family of Bedford
by
June 09, 2026
in Articles

During the late eighteenth century, the Lovell family dominated Bedford’s commercial sector. The local economy prospered through the production of grain, malt, and wool from surrounding farms and over successive generations the Lovell family developed expertise in auctioneering, malting, coal dealing, brickmaking and brewing.

John Lovell (1751-1807) the earliest documented member of his family in Bedford, married Elizabeth Crockford at St Paul’s Church on 23 August 1778. They had six sons: John, born 1778, Charles  1783–1787, George born 1786, Samuel born 7 April 1788, Thomas born 27 July 1790, christened 17 October 1790, and William born 16 May 1793, christened 4 June 1793. All were christened at Howard Chapel on Mill Street in Bedford. (1)

Elizabeth Lovell died on 20 April 1806 at age 53 and was interred on 23 April at New Meeting Burial Ground, Mill Street, Bedford. John Lovell died on 28 May 1807 at age 56 and was buried near Elizabeth on 4 June. (2)  

Samuel Lovell, the fourth child of John and Elizabeth, made his home and livelihood in St. Mary’s parish beside the River Ouse. Industrious and versatile, Samuel was a maltster, coal merchant and corn merchant and oversaw a bustling wharf and coal yard along the riverbank.

Coal destined for Bedford began its journey at the busy port of Newcastle. There, gangs of labourers loaded the valuable fuel onto sturdy collier brigs—large sailing vessels built to withstand the often-treacherous waters of England’s east coast. From Newcastle, these ships carried their cargo southward to the port of King’s Lynn, the next stage in its long passage inland. At the busy docks, the coal was transferred to flat-bottomed lighters, nimble barges built for river travel. These lighters then carried their precious cargo upstream along the River Ouse, finally arriving in Bedford.

Bedford prospered thanks to its thriving trade link with King’s Lynn. Boats regularly brought essential supplies into the town while carrying grain, flour, malt and wool to markets beyond. After 1689, commercial traffic flourished and the waterways remained busy for nearly two centuries. However the arrival of the railways in the late nineteenth century gradually reduced river trade, bringing an end to this bustling era of transport. (3)

Samuel Lovell played an active role on the Bedford Town Council and served as chief clerk at Barnard’s Bank until 1823.  He married Elizabeth White on 19 May 1823 at St. Peter’s Church, Bedford. Elizabeth was one of four children of William White Snr and Susanna Braisher.

William White Snr (1773-1815) married Susanna Braisher on 11 November 1799 at St Paul’s Church, Bedford.  Their four children were Elizabeth, born 16 January 1801, Susannah, born 18 April 1802, Ann, born 23 June 1804, and William, born 7 August 1806.  The younger three were all christened at the Bunyan Meeting on Mill Street in Bedford. (4)

William White Snr, a prominent Bedford businessman, operated a successful corn factoring and auctioneering business. Tragically, Susanna White died shortly after their youngest son, William, was born, though her burial was not documented. William later married Sophia Craft on 31 March 1811. In 1815 his life ended abruptly due to a fatal fall from his horse on Clapham Road. He was interred at the Bunyan Burial Ground on Mill Street on 14 June 1815.

William White Jr. (1806-1882) married Mary Ann Chignell, (1803-1869) at St Nicholas Church Colchester, Essex on 4 August 1829. Following their marriage, the couple relocated to Bedford, where William established a printing, stationery and bookshop at 5 High Street, adjoining the George Inn.

The business prospered. By 1841, William employed two male apprentices and two female domestic servants. In 1842 he was appointed superintendent of the Sunday School at the Bunyan Meeting. He subsequently earned a reputation as a prominent and radical political figure.

However, his outspoken political beliefs and support for the reforming party alienated many loyal supporters and his business gradually declined. Nevertheless, in 1854, Lord John Russell, the third son of the Duke of Bedford, appointed White as Doorkeeper of the House of Commons. He served faithfully in this role until his retirement in 1875.

William spent his final days with his daughter, Henrietta Arthur, at her home on Park Hill Road in Carshalton, Surrey, where he died on 26 February 1882. (5)

William and Mary Ann White had four children: William Hale White, born on 22 December 1831; Henrietta, born on 3 September 1833; Samuel, born in 1840; and Mary Ann, born in 1841.

William Hale White achieved lasting fame writing under the pen name Mark Rutherford. A prominent Victorian author and civil servant, he drew extensively upon his Bedford upbringing in a series of autobiographical novels. His works explore the town’s nonconformist heritage, distinctive streetscapes and surrounding countryside.

In his autobiographical memoir, “The Early Life of Mark Rutherford,” published in 1913, the year of his death, he paints a deeply personal portrait of his family, sharing moving memories of his father, William White Jr., and his uncle, Samuel Lovell.

William Hale White’s account of his father’s childhood is particularly poignant. Born in 1806, and orphaned at a young age following the deaths of both parents, he found himself under the care of a stepmother whose affection was largely reserved for her own child.  At Bedford Grammar School, he endured not only rigid discipline and poor teaching, but also frequent beatings. His stepmother repeatedly urged the headmaster to administer stricter punishment and this only deepened his misery. At home, endless chores awaited him: from scrubbing boots to washing cutlery, and tackling other thankless tasks, experiences that left a lasting impression on his character.

William H White’s portrait of his uncle Samuel Lovell is considerably warmer, and recalls a man whose quirks and rhythms of his daily routines quietly sculpted his character.

“In his younger days, Samuel moved with a slender grace, but by the time I came to know him, he had grown comfortably stout. No matter his size, he always appeared in a crisp, frilled shirt, immaculate whether he stood by the wharf or sat behind his desk. His face was always clean-shaven and gentle, and to me, he was the very embodiment of kindness. Several times a year, he would set out for distant villages and outlying farms to collect debts, often inviting me along for a day I would treasure. More often than not, he faced stubborn resistance from the farmers regarding payment.”

William Hale White died on 14 March at his residence, The Cottage, in Groombridge. He was cremated, and his remains were interred at St John the Evangelist Churchyard in Groombridge, East Sussex.

The 1832 Pollbook records Samuel and Elizabeth Lovell living in a freehold house with its own stable and shop on Angel Street in St Mary’s, Bedford. The street took its name from the Angel Inn, a landmark that once occupied the site of Bedford Central Library. Originally, only a portion of the road was named Angel Street. In 1835, the Improvement Commission renamed the entire stretch from St. Paul’s to Dame Alice Street as Harpur Street. As a result  Angel Street disappeard from the map.  (6)

Samuel and Elizabeth Lovell continued – The eight children of Samuel and Elizabeth Lovell

Elizabeth Ann Lovell (28.03.1824 – 30.09.1845.)

Susanna Lovell (04.02.1825 – 11.10.1842).

Samuel Lovell 07.07.1828 – 29.03.1840).

All three siblings are buried together at Bunyan Meeting Burial Ground on Mill Street in Bedford.

Louisa Lovell was born on 30 April 1834 and christened later that year at the Old Meeting House on Mill Lane in Bedford.  She married James Hogarth Balgarnie of Portobello, Edinburgh on 29 July 1858. The ceremony took place at Bunyan Chapel and James’s brother, the Reverend Robert Balgarnie officiated.  James was born in 1829 in Peebles, Peeblesshire, Scotland, and was employed as a chartered accountant.

Louisa died on 30 August 1862 in Bedford and was interred in Foster Hill Road Cemetery. Grave ref. C8-205.

James Balgarnie died on 10 January 1879. His name is inscribed on Louisa’s memorial stone at Foster Hill Road Cemetery. He was buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard in Inveresk, East Lothian, Scotland, alongside their daughter Marion Louisa Balgarnie, (1859  – 10.05.1860).

Mary Ann Lovell was born on 30 March 1836 and christened on 11 January 1837. According to the 1851 census, she resided with her uncle and aunt William and Mary Chignell and their three children at Market Place in Romsey, Hampshire. William Chignell worked as a bookseller.

On 20 June 1861, Mary Ann married John William Gulland, a corn merchant from Edinburgh, born in 1835. The wedding was held at Bunyan Meeting on Mill Street in Bedford, with Reverend John Jukes officiating.

Mary Ann Lovell Gulland died at 8 Claremont Crescent in Edinburgh on 18 November 1892. John Gulland died on 8 November 1902 at the age of 68.

Professor George Lovell Gulland, the eldest son, was a distinguished Scottish physician and haematologist. He held the position of Professor of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and was named a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.

He died at the age of 79 on 4 May 1941. His wife, Helen Orme Masson, lived to the age of 100 and died on 5 October 1963.

Their youngest son, The Right Honourable John William Gulland, died on 26 January 1920. He was a prominent British Liberal Party politician and served as Chief Whip for Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith from 1908 to 1916.

All family members were interred together in the family grave located in Section R-118 at Grange Cemetery in Edinburgh.  (7)

Emily Jane Lovell (31.08.1840 – 01.11.1859). She is interred in Foster Hill Road Cemetery. Grave Ref. C8-205.

Caroline Lovell was born in 1841 and left Bedford following her mother’s death. According to the 1891 census, she visited her sister Mary at Claremont Crescent, 8 St Cuthbert, St Andrew, Edinburgh, and was living on her own means.

The 1911 census records Caroline as a guest at The Knowle Hotel in Sidmouth, Honiton, Devon. She later moved to Edinburgh to be near her nephews and spent her final days at 48 Moray Place. Her nephew, John William Gulland M.P., was in attendance when she died on 16 August 1917. (8)

William George Lovell, born in 1843, was the youngest child in the family and attended Bedford Modern School.

Samuel Lovell died on 27 December 1856 and was buried at Bunyan Meeting Burial Ground.

Following his death, management of the family business passed to his only surviving son, William George Lovell. At the same time, his widow, Elizabeth Lovell, continued to oversee the family’s maltster business as well as its coal, brick and tile operations, which were conducted from premises at 5 St Mary’s and Hawnes Kiln. The name “Hawnes” represents an earlier spelling of the village of Haynes and refers to the historic brickyard and kiln yard situated to the southeast of Haynes Park in Haynes, Bedfordshire.

On 14 April 1875, The Bedford Mercury reported that William Lovell sold his business, which dealt in malt, coal and hops at 5 St Mary’s, Bedford, to John Elliot Page.

John Elliot Page was born in Gloucester in 1828. According to the 1881 census, John, his wife Eliza, their six children, two servants and a governess resided at 5 St Mary’s, Bedford.

John spent many years as a merchant specialising in coal, building supplies, malt, hops, and decorative tiles. His main office was at 5 St Mary’s, with additional locations at 20 Silver Street, Bedford, Oakley and Cardington.  (9)

By 1891, John had moved to Heatherbank, Aspley Heath, Bedfordshire. He died on 24 September 1901 and was buried with his wife, who had died on 7 January 1897, at St. Michael’s Churchyard in Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire.

Allfrey and Lovell Brewery Newport Pagnell

In 1875, William  George Lovell relocated to Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, where he established a partnership with Francis Allfrey, a previous resident and proprietor of the Castle Brewery in Monmouthshire.

The partners acquired the Newport Pagnell Brewery at the London Auction Mart on       8 February 1875. This brewery had previously been owned by Messrs. Rogers & Co. During this period, Francis Allfrey maintained ownership of the Castle Brewery in Monmouthshire until its sale to Alfred Blake in 1879.

The Newport Pagnell Brewery operated a profitable spirit business, enhancing its overall value. Its central location in Buckinghamshire provided convenient access from Wolverhampton and the London and North-Western Railway. The sale included a family home with land, stables, outbuildings, four malt houses with a total capacity of 40 quarters (approximately 8 tons), and 34 public and beer houses. Nine of these were in Newport Pagnell, with the remainder located in Bedford, Bradwell and surrounding towns and villages. (10)

The principal residence and 25 public houses were considered desirable freehold properties. Total trade was approximately £2,400 per quarter, indicating strong asset performance. This amount is equivalent to about £359,465.70 in present-day value. (11)

Their business expanded, acquiring numerous tied houses, pubs and beerhouses across Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.

Francis Allfrey was born in London in 1841 to Elizabeth and George Allfrey. His father, George, born on 29 November 1798, was an underwriter at Lloyd’s of London. The family lived at 67 Stamford Hill. At age nine, Francis attended Glouney Boys’ Boarding School at 2 Cresswell Park in Charlton, Lewisham, and later continued his education at Blackheath Boys’ School in Blackheath, London.

In 1865, Francis moved to Newport, Monmouthshire, to train in the brewing industry with his uncles, Edward Thomas Allfrey (1801-1866) and John Stenning Allfrey (1802-1853), owners of Castle Brewery. The Allfrey brothers had established the brewery in the 1820s, operating it within the ruins of Newport Castle. After their deaths, Francis became the sole owner of Castle Brewery. (12)

Francis married Emma Elizabeth Coates at St George’s Church in Tredegar, Monmouth on 6 February 1867. Emma was the daughter of Elizabeth, née Brewer, and Nathaniel Coates, who was a physician.

William George Lovell’s mother, Elizabeth White Lovell, died on 15th January 1879 at St Mary’s, Bedford. She was buried at Foster Hill Road Cemetery. Grave Ref. C7-216. Her name also appears on the memorials at C8-194 and C8-205.  She is also commemorated on Samuel’s gravestone at Bunyan Meeting Burial Ground.

William George Lovell married Mary Elizabeth Howard at St Mary’s Church, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on 29 September 1876. At the time, he resided at Brooklands, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Mary Elizabeth Howard was born in Bedford in 1855. She was one of ten children of Elizabeth née Street and Frederick Howard, who resided at Abbey Close on Cardington Road in Bedford.

Frederick Howard was born in Bedford on 28 September 1827, the youngest son of John (1791-1878) and Elizabeth Howard (1792-1872). His father, a pioneering manufacturer of agricultural equipment, ensured that his sons were well prepared to continue the family enterprise. In 1851, Frederick joined his elder brother, James Howard (1821-1889), in taking over the family business.  Together they founded James & Frederick Howard Iron Founders. The brothers expanded their operations in 1857 with the construction of the Britannia Iron Works in Bedford, where they produced award-winning ploughs, harrows, and steam traction engines.

Frederick Howard was knighted in 1895 for his work in industry. He also served as a Justice of the Peace and as Deputy Lieutenant in Bedfordshire. Sir Frederick Howard died on 6 January 1915 at the age of 87 and was laid to rest in St. Mary’s Churchyard in Cardington. He is buried with his wife, Elizabeth, who died in 1901, and their eldest child, Kate, who died at just 17 days old on 21 February 1853.

Following their marriage, William and Mary Lovell settled at 64 Priory Street, Newport Pagnell where their only child, Sydney Howard Lovell, was born on 30 July 1877.  Sydney Lovell was christened at St Peter and St Paul Church. A few years later, the family relocated to Bedford and, by 1881, resided at “The Elms”, 30 Ashburnham Road, with their cook, housemaid and nurse.

Sydney Howard Lovell, a student at Bedford Grammar School from 1889 to 1891, sadly died of acute peritonitis on 21 July 1891 at the age of 13. Family members and schoolmasters attended his funeral service at St. Paul’s Church on 24 July. Unfortunately his mother was unable to attend his funeral due to illness.  Sydney was interred at Foster Hill Road Cemetery. Grave Ref.  F10-105.

A brass memorial tablet commemorating Sydney is installed on the wall to the left of the Trinity Chapel entrance in St Paul’s Church, Bedford. The tablet bears the following inscription: “To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Sidney Howard Lovell, only child of William and Mary Lovell, the Marble Floor of this chancel was dedicated AD 1900; he died July 21, 1891, 13 years RIP”.

William and Mary Lovell donated the entire marble floor of the church chancel in memory of their son, Sydney.

Mary Elizabeth Lovell died suddenly on Christmas Eve in 1902 while she and William were on holiday in Cannes, France. After she died, her body was brought back by boat train to Charing Cross, then taken by train to Bedford and brought home to “The Elms” to wait for the funeral. The first part of the funeral was held at St. Paul’s Church, which was filled with people who came to pay their last respects to someone who had done so much for them. The service was quiet, with no music or hymns. After the service, the procession went to the cemetery. Along the way, people closed their house blinds to show respect. When the procession reached the cemetery, a large crowd had gathered. Inspector Setchell and two constables were there to keep space open for the mourners. Mary was laid to rest in the family vault with her son, Sidney.

William and his brother-in-law, John William Gulland, a corn merchant, served as executors of her will. The estate was valued at £6,433 and seven shillings, equivalent to approximately £1,030,000 in 2026 currency.

William George Lovell died at his home, “The Elms,” on Ashburnham Road, Bedford, on 13 July 1909. Following cremation at Gilroes Crematorium in Leicester, his remains were transported back to Bedford for a funeral service at St. Paul’s Church and subsequent interment in the family vault at Foster Hill Road Cemetery. Grave Ref. F10-105.

Allfrey and Lovell Brewery was incorporated as a limited company, named Newport Pagnell Brewery Co Ltd, on 10 May 1899. Following the death of William Lovell, Francis Allfrey assumed leadership of the business and rapidly established it as one of the largest employers in Newport Pagnell.

In 1919, Charles Wells Ltd of Bedford acquired Newport Pagnell Brewery Co Ltd, after which brewing operations ceased.

Francis Allfrey died at his residence, Bury Lawn, in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, on 12 August 1937, at the age of 96. (13)

The Sydney Howard Lovell Almshouses

William George Lovell allocated over £35,000 of his £40,165 estate in his will for the construction of almshouses in or near Bedford and for the provision of pensions to their residents. According to the CPI Inflation Calculator, £35,000 in 1909 is equivalent to approximately £5,407,751.54 in 2026.

William’s will specified that the almshouses should provide comfort and be free from draughts. The preferred construction materials included red brick, red-tiled roofs, and concrete foundations beneath wooden floors. Each almshouse was to feature a small front garden with rose trees and a back garden with fruit trees. The preferred location, if feasible, was east of the school in Oakley.

William also instructed that a plaque be placed on an almshouse stating: “The Sydney Howard Lovell Almshouses.” “These almshouses are erected to the glory of God and in memory of Sydney Howard Lovell by direction of his parents, William George Lovell and Mary Howard Lovell. “Do unto others as you would that others do unto you.”

Eligibility for residence in the almshouses was limited to married couples or single individuals. Married couples were allocated 10 shillings per week, whereas single individuals received seven shillings and six pennies, or a sum sufficient to reach these amounts. The value of 10 shillings in 1909 corresponds to approximately £79.77 in 2026. The candidate selection process is not affected by political considerations. (14)

William’s wishes were not fulfilled because his family and trustees did not follow the terms of his will. In the early 1920s, after these terms were ignored, Sidney Richard Wells—Member of Parliament for Bedford from November 1922 to June 1945—reviewed the investments and appointed new trustees to help carry out William’s will.

In 1923, Sidney Richard Wells sought advice from Lt-Col Spender Clay, the Honourable Member for Tonbridge and Charity Commissioner from 1910 to 1937, regarding the provision of almshouses under William George Lovell’s will. Clay indicated that Mr Gulland, the last surviving executor of Mrs Lovell’s will, had declined the trusts and refused to appoint new trustees. Consequently, the matter was referred to the Attorney General. Following the Attorney General’s request for action, the executors agreed to appoint trustees. The appointment of trustees enabled the charity application to proceed. (15)

In 1925, Sydney Richard Wells addressed the House of Commons concerning the Lovell bequest. Sir Douglas stated that the trustees were actively fulfilling the will’s provisions, including acquiring land and constructing almshouses. (16)

The construction of 30 almshouses in Oakley commenced in 1927 and was completed in 1933. Each single-story dwelling comprised three rooms and a scullery equipped with a sink, bath, and pantry. The living rooms contained cooking ranges. Flower gardens were situated at the front of each house, while vegetable plots were located at the rear. All residences were provided with electric lighting, a water supply, and a main drainage system. (17)

 To be eligible, applicants must have lived in the Borough of Bedford for at least 60 years and have worked, or currently work, as agricultural labourers. They must also live in one of these areas: Wood End, Box End, West End of Kempston, Bromham, Stagsden, Stevington, Oakley, Carlton, Pavenham, Milton Ernest, Ravensden, Thurleigh, Wilden, Colmworth, Renhold, Bolnhurst, Bletsoe, or Goldington. Married couples who met the eligibility requirements were given preference. (18)

 At present, the Sydney Howard Lovell Memorial Almshouses, also known as “The Lovell Homes,” in Oakley are managed by a board of voluntary trustees.

 

Researcher Linda S Ayres

Photography Clare Pope

 

Sources

  1. England and Wales. Non-Conformist Birth and Christening Record Indexes.
  2. Non-Conformist Burial Record Indexes.
  3. Source Bedford River Valley Park
  4. Non-Conformist Birth and Christening Indexes.
  5. William White Jnr Obituary. The Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 11th March
  6. The Virtual Library. The Newspaper Cuttings Collection, Local Studies, Bedford Central Library. Ian Freeman. From Saxons to Speed: a new history of old Bedford. 2006.
  7. Gulland Family. Find a Grave
  8. Find my Past. England and Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019.
  9. John Elliot Page Advertisement. The Bedfordshire Times and Independent. 21 January 1888
  10. The Bedfordshire Mercury. 23 January 1875
  11. Bedfordshire Mercury. 6 February 1875. Pg 4
  12. Appeal: Rating of the Castle Brewery. Monmouthshire Merlin 21 October 1865
  13. Bucks Standard, August 1937
  14. North Bucks Times and County Observer, 9 October 1909
  15. In the House of Commons. The Lovell Legacy. The Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 13 July 1923.
  16. The Lovell Bequest. The Bedford Record 12th November 1925
  17. Source Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 18th August 1933
  18. The Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 7th May 1937.

 

 

 

 

 

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