Cedric IVATTS

(Nanterre, 1866-Océan Atlantique, 1917)

ivatts cedric portrait

Jean-Claude SEGUIN

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Albert James Ivatts (Londres, 03/06/1827-Paris, 02/03/1893) épouse (Royston, 09/1852) Sarah Ewitchin Cooper (Londres, 1929-Neuilly, 06/05/1893). Descendance:

  • Ernest, Albert Ivatts (Guildfred, 11/07/1853-Paris 16e, 21/03/1929) épouse (Paris 4e, 04/02/1890) Jeanne, Marguerite Peyre (Poissy, 25/06/1867-).
  • Constance Ivatts (Paris, 18/02/1856-) épouse (Neuilly, 13/12/1882) Henri-Paul Motte (Paris, 13/12/1846-Bourg-la-Reine, 01/04/1922). Descendance:
    • Gisèle Motte (1893-1984) épouse Percy Dannat (1882-1947)
    • Gilbert-Henri Motte (1902-)
  • Edith, Béatrice Ivatts (Paris, 13/12/1857-Bourg-la-Reine, 03/11/1931) épouse (Neuilly, 13/04/1886) Paul, Édouard Passy (1859-1940).
  • Lionel, Edouard Ivatts (Paris, 1861-Hyères, 1899) épouse (Paris 9e, 20/03/1891) Marguerite Clavelly (Orléans, 1870-Lyon, 1916). Descendance:
    • Gertie Sarah Ivatts (Saint-Sébastien, 1892-Châtel-en-Trièves, 1958)
    • Sydney, Albert Ivatts (Neuilly, 16/03/1895-1981)
  • Lilian, Maud Ivatts (Nanterre, 12/12/1862-Chambourcy, 23/01/1930) épouse (Neuilly, 03/11/1885) Félix, Pierre Passy (Retz/Chambourcy, 18/08/1861-1941)
  • Cedric Percy Ivatts (Nanterre, 03/08/1866-Océan Atlantique, 26/02/1917) épouse (Neuilly, 05/11/1889) Marguerite Marie Deltour . Descendance:
    • Germaine, Jeanne Ivatts (Paris 16e, 02/11/1890-Argenteuil (17/10/1977) épouse (Neuilly, 21/01/1913) Lionel Georges Hutchings.
    • Lucy Elisabeth Ivatts (Neuilly, 02/09/1894) épouse (Neuilly, 04/10/1923) Alexis, Julien, Joseph, Marie Le Moal.

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Paul Passy, époux d'Édith, Béatrice Ivatts, a couché sur le papier ses souvenirs et sa rencontre avec la famille de son épouse : 

Nous avions fait depuis plusieurs années la connaissance d’une famille d’origine anglaise qui fréquentait comme nous la chapelle protestante de Neuilly. Le père, M. Ivatts, était directeur pour la France d’une grande maison anglaise de commerce, Burt, Boulton et Haywood. Il y avait six enfants, trois jeunes hommes et trois jeunes filles. Nous nous voyions souvent, nous avions ensemble des petites soirées, des promenades, des réunions de lecture ; les enfants Ivatts sont même venus passer quelques jours dans notre famille au Désert. Finalement est arrivé ce qui était à prévoir, et ce que souhaitaient probablement les parents des deux côtés : des amitiés se sont muées en amour, et des unions se sont ébauchées.
Le premier à se décider a été mon frère Pierre, qui revenait du régiment peu après mon retour d’Islande. Le 5 novembre 1885, il épousait la plus jeune des filles Ivatts, Liliane, avec laquelle il s’établissait au Désert : ils y demeurent encore avec leurs deux fils mariés. Peu de temps après, à mon tour, je demandais en mariage la deuxième fille, Edith, et j’étais agréé.


Paul Passy, Souvenirs d'un socialiste chrétien, Issy-les-Moulineaux, Editions "Je sers", 1930, p. 68-69.

Au moment de son mariage avec la fille d'un directeur d'agence au Crédit Lyonnais (1889), il figure comme négociant à Paris. Ses affaires le conduisent à New York à bord de La Bourgogne en 1894, mais on ignore ce qu'il fait avant 1906.

Pathé Frères (Londres) (1906-1909)

Depuis plusieurs années, une agence indépendante, dirigée par Jellings Blow, distribue les phonographes Pathé et les appareils similaires. C'est en août 1906 que la situation de l'entreprise londonienne va évoluer. D'une part, elle est désormais sous la responsabilité de M. Courant, assisté de Roy Collier. D'autre part, l'entreprise, jusqu'alors indépendante, fusionne avec la maison mère. Quelques jours plus, Roy Collier quitte la filiale pour rentrer chez Walturdaw. C'est Cedric Ivatts, dont le frère Ernest Albert travaille chez Pathé à Paris, qui reprend le secteur cinématographique :

Personal.
Mr. Collier, late of Pathé Frères, has taken up a position with the Walturdaw Co. The kinematograph department of Pathé Frères will be under the management of Mr. Courant and Mr. C. Ivatts. As already announced, the former has been associated with the French parent company, which has taken over the business of Pathé Frères (London) Limited, while the latter will already be known to most members of the trade.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, samedi 15 septembre 1906, p. 216. 

Ces changements s'accompagnent également d'un déménagement afin d'installer les locaux en centre ville:

Pathé Frères, London.
This firm has taken premises at 31, Charing Cross Road, next door to the Alhambra, for their kinematograph department. The new premises are much more central and convenient than the ones at Lambs Conduit Street—which we are informed will be used in future for warehousing purposes.


Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, samedi 15 septembre 1906, p. 215.

Dans un entretient publié dans le journal The Era, Cedric Ivatts explique la politique commercial de Pathé Frères auprès des forains :

PATHE FRERES.
CHAT WITH MR. C. IVATTS
Mr. Cedric Ivatts. joint manager with Mr. Henry Courant of the London, British, and Colonial business of Messrs. Pathé Frères, the famous manufacturers of the cinematograph films and machines, is a most interesting personality and a thoroughly business man. Mr. Ivatts attends the animated picture department and Mr. Courant the phonographic aide.
[...]
Mr. Ivatts travels a good deal about the fairs which are held in all parts of the United Kingdom, and he has made many friends among the showmen. He tells that nothing gives him greater delight than to have a chat over a cup of tea in one of the caravans. Recognising what has been done in America with the five-cents cinematograph theatres, the Pathé Frères have followed on this example, and have persuaded many showmen to open places in Paris on the same principle. Mr. Ivatts considers that it is matter of surprise that no one has yet been enterprising enough to do the same thing in our big English centres. In New York there are seventy-five of these animated picture establishments. They are open all day, and visitors can stop as long they like for one payment. For originality of conception and daring in the carrying out of ideas for living pictures, Messrs. Pathé Frères occupy an exalted position among cinematograph merchants. The film industry has steadily improved and increased since the advent of this firm, who, by the way, were the first to reduce the price of the films to four-pence per foot. They have found that this year there has been a greater demand for cinematograph pictures than at any previous time in the history of the business, the month of July having been a record for them this respect.


The Era, Londres, 10 août 1907, p 23.

Interviewé par le Kinematograph Weekly, Cedric Ivatts envisage les possibilités d'extension de la société en Grande-Bretagne et les difficultés qu'il rencontre :

A Talk with Mr. C. Ivatts.
HIS VIEWS ON ENGLISH POSSIBILITIES.
During a conversation with Mr. Ivatts, of Pathé Frères, we were given to understand that the Pathé films are disposed of, in France, exclusively to a syndicate there, and all showmen desiring to use the pictures can only do so by hiring from the syndicate.
Asked if there was a likelihood of the same thing happening in England, Mr. Ivatts assured us that there was not. It was not his intention to hire out or to exhibit, but any concern worthy of the business could have certain advantages extended to them, including the option of using the name of Pathé for advertising purposes. It is Mr. Ivatts opinion that England is asleep as regards the great profits to be realised out of exhibitions exclusively devoted to living pictures; and that there is much foreign element about seeking to establish itself in London, as it is recognised that without doubt there is money in the business.
As far as his experience went, he found that the difficulties in the way of securing suitable sites in London were almost insurmountable. He quoted one instance where £300 had been paid down to agents for the option of renting premises, but when the landlord found it was wanted for kinematograph purposes, he refused, saying he would have nothing of the sort on his land. This kind of thing had happened several times, in Holborn, in Tottenham Court Road and in other places. Again, it was difficult, he found, to induce English capitalists to put money into kinematograph exhibition concerns, as they appeared to have the impression that it was a thing liable to run out in two years. John Bull, he agreed, was slow in moving, but against this it must in fairness be said, that when he had made up his mind to shift, it generally turned out that his move was the right one.


The Kinematograph and Lantern Weekly, Londres, 19 septembre 1907, p. 5.

Au moment de la {tip Kinematograph Weekly, Londres, jeudi 25 février 1909, p. 1.}crise du cinéma de 1909}, Cedric Ivatts va réunir un certain nombre d'exploitants afin de leur signaler que le système de vente allait être très prochainement abandonné. Cedric Ivatts a-t-il pensé que l'industrie cinématographique était en péril, toujours est-il que la presse fait savoir, en avril, qu'il abandonne la direction de la filiale Pathé de Londres. Il se retire d'ailleurs de toute activité en relation avec le cinématographe pour prendre en charge un importante société de transport française la Société Anonyme des Ancients Etablissements J. Lejeau Fils":

IMPORTANT CHANGES AT PATHÉ'S.
Retirement of Mr. C. Ivatts. Appointment of his Successor.
We are able to publish to-day an important item of information, to the effect that Mr. C. Ivatts, who has brought the London business of Messrs. Pathé Frères to its present large dimensions, is about to severe his connection with the firm.
The news will come as something of a shock to his many friends in the trade, and the first question that naturally occurs is, what firm in the film business can possibly be big enough to secure Mr. Ivatt's services? The answer is that the manager of Pathé Frères London, is not only leaving Charing Cross Road, but is retiring from the bioscope trade altogether.
He has been appointed general manager to a very important company in quite a different line of business, that of Messrs. Lejeau (Paris), Limited, a London concern which has been formed to take over the financial management of the " Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements J. Lejeau Fils," the largest cartage contractors in France.
Mr. Ivatts is also vice-chairman of the French company, and he will, in his new sphere of activity, find ample scope for his great organising and executive abilities.
His many London friends, while regretting his retirement from the trade, will wish him unbounded success in the larger field which he is entering. There will probably be a little friendly gathering about the end of the month to put on record the fraternal feelings which exist between the customers and others who have such pleasant recollections of Mr. Ivatts in his capacity as London manager of the house of Pathé.
The gentleman who succeeds to the position of manager at 31, Charing Cross Road is Mr. Louis Solenne, a trusted representative of the Paris house, who will no doubt quickly become popular here. Mr. Solenne has already had experience with trade conditions in America, as well as in England, and in him Messrs. Pathé have made a wise choice. The new manager is a keen business man, whose affable nature makes him at once a favourite, and there seems no reason to doubt that he will maintain the traditions of the house and carry the banner of the gallic cock to many a victory.
Mr. H. Wood, who has been so long and so favourably known as Mr. Ivatts able lieutenant, is now officially appointed assistant-manager. This appointment is clear evidence, if such were needed, that Messrs Pathé Frères fully appreciate the sterling work that Mr. Wood has done in the past. His intimate knowledge of the requirements of the trade and his aptitude for promptly and satisfactorily dealing with the many details of a large business, make Mr. Wood's services invaluable, and his many friends will be glad to know that he will always be on hand to attend to their requirements.


The Bioscope, Londres, 13 avril 1909, p. 29.

La direction de la filiale est confiée à Louis Solenne.

Et après... (1909-1917)

Il occupe les fonctions de directeur de la Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements J. Lejeau Fils à partir de 1909. Dans les années dix, il est amené à voyager à plusieurs reprises aux États-Unis (1915;  191519161916. C'est alors qu'il est sur le Laconia que le navire est attaqué par un sous-marin allemand. Cedric Ivatts périt dans le naufrage qui se produit à 11 km à l'ouest du Fastnet :

PATHS FRERES MGR. DROWNED
Cedric Ivatts, who was drowned on the Laconia when that vessel was sunk by a German submarine, was closely connected with Pathé Freres. Mr. Ivatts was the brother of E. A. Ivatts, for many years chairman of the board of directors of Pathé Freres in France, and was for several years the general manager of Pathe Cinema, Ltd., of London. He leaves a widow and two daughters who are engaged in ambulance work in France. Mr. Ivatts has recently been representing American concerns in England.


The New York Clipper, New York, 7 mars 1917, p. 33.

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