Irving family

The Irving family is a British family lineage whose best-known members have worked in the performing arts and related cultural fields. The family descends from Samuel Brodribb, a salesman born around 1800 at Clutton, and Mary Brodribb, née Behenna, who came from a Cornish farming family. Their son John Brodribb adopted the professional name Sir Henry Irving and became one of the most prominent English stage actors of the Victorian era. His success established the Irving name as a significant presence in British theatrical history. Sir Henry Irving married Florence O'Callaghan in London in 1869. Their descendants continued to work in the arts. His son Laurence Sydney Brodribb Irving was an actor, dramatist, and novelist, while another son, Harry Brodribb Irving, also pursued a career on the stage. Through these branches, the family became connected with acting, theatre writing, film production, set design, and art direction. Laurence Irving, the son of Harry Irving and actress Dorothea Baird, worked in Hollywood as a set designer and art director and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. The family’s cultural contribution extends beyond performance. Elizabeth Irving, a descendant of the theatrical line, was an actress and later chaired the National Federation of Women's Institutes. In 1955 she founded the Keep Britain Tidy Group, linking the family’s public profile to environmental organization and civic campaigning. Other descendants include members of the Brunner family through Elizabeth Irving’s marriage to Sir Felix John Morgan Brunner, 3rd Baronet, as well as later generations connected with the arts. The Irving family is therefore best understood as a historical and genealogical family group rather than a commercial brand, corporation, or product house. It has no identified corporate headquarters, public listing, common website, or unified business operation. Its significance rests on the accumulated public careers of individual family members, especially the theatrical legacy associated with Sir Henry Irving and the later contributions of descendants to film design, acting, women’s organizations, and environmental activity.

The Irving family traces its ancestry to Samuel Brodribb, who was born around 1800 at Clutton and died in Bristol in 1876. He worked as a salesman collecting orders for the tailoring department of a local store. His wife, Mary Brodribb, née Behenna, was christened in Lelant, Cornwall, in 1808 and came from a Cornish farming family. Their son John Brodribb adopted the stage name Henry Irving and became the central figure in the family's public history. Sir Henry Irving was a major English stage actor of the Victorian period. His theatrical career and later knighthood gave the Irving name a durable place in British cultural history. He married Florence O'Callaghan at St Marylebone, London, on 15 July 1869. Their son Laurence Sydney Brodribb Irving, born in 1871, became an actor, dramatist, and novelist. Laurence married actress Mabel Hackney, and their children included Laurence Irving Brodribb and Dorothy Elizabeth Irving. Henry Irving's other son, Harry Brodribb Irving, was also an actor. Born in 1870, Harry married actress Dorothea Baird. Their descendants continued the family's connections with theatre and screen production. Laurence Irving, Harry's son, was a Hollywood set designer and art director. He married Rosalind Woolner, a granddaughter of Pre-Raphaelite sculptor Thomas Woolner. Their children included Pamela Mary Irving and John H. B. Irving. Later descendants included Imogen Irving, who was identified as an actor in training. Elizabeth Irving, born in 1904, pursued several forms of public work. She was an actress, became chair of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, and founded the Keep Britain Tidy Group in 1955. Her marriage to Sir Felix John Morgan Brunner, 3rd Baronet, connected the Irving line with the Brunner family. Their descendants included Sir John Henry Kilian Brunner, Timothy Barnabas Hans Brunner, Daniel Felix Brodribb Brunner, and Sir Hugo Lawrence Joseph Brunner, among others. Across these generations, the family’s history reflects the movement of theatrical families between stage performance, literary work, film design, civic leadership, and environmental campaigning. The Irving family does not represent a single legal entity or coordinated commercial enterprise. Its historical identity comes from genealogy and the public careers of its members, with Sir Henry Irving serving as the best-known ancestral figure.

• 1955

  Keep Britain Tidy Group is founded

  [1]Irving familyen.wikipedia.org

  Elizabeth Irving founded the Keep Britain Tidy Group, extending the family's public contribution into environmental organization and civic campaigning.

• 1904

  Elizabeth Irving is born

  [1]Irving familyen.wikipedia.org

  Elizabeth Irving was born into the theatrical family and later became an actress, public organization leader, and environmental campaigner.

• 1871

  Laurence Sydney Brodribb Irving is born

  [1]Irving familyen.wikipedia.org

  Laurence Sydney Brodribb Irving was born to Henry Irving's family and later worked as an actor, dramatist, and novelist.

• 1870

  Harry Brodribb Irving is born

  [1]Irving familyen.wikipedia.org

  Harry Brodribb Irving was born and later became an actor, continuing the family's theatrical association.

• 1869

  Henry Irving marries Florence O'Callaghan

  [1]Irving familyen.wikipedia.org

  John Brodribb, professionally known as Henry Irving, married Florence O'Callaghan at St Marylebone in London on 15 July 1869.

A historical British show-business and public-service family, rather than a commercial brand.

• 1955Keep Britain Tidy campaign

  United Kingdom

  Elizabeth Irving founded the Keep Britain Tidy Group, an environmental and civic initiative focused on improving public cleanliness and encouraging responsible treatment of the environment.

  Outcome. The initiative became the principal public-service and environmental campaign associated with a member of the Irving family.

  Source

1. 1Irving familyen.wikipedia.org