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Record #3552

Name :: : Ella Mary MASON (1895 - 1971)
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 6 Sep 1895
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: : May 1971

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Cheshire, Chester

Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialUnited States of America

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 6 Oct 1902
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Colonian
Placement Family: :

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Barnardos

NotesThis is a complicated and complex family situation:

Father: John George Williams a/k/a George John Mason a/k/a George Wrench Mason. (Parents names: William Wrench & Mary Mason.)

John George Williams married Mary Emma Bright on February 12 1878 in Devonport, Devon, England.

A birth registration was found for Ella Mary Mason; Year of Registration: 1895; Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec; District: Chester; County: Cheshire, Flintshire; Volume: 8a; Page: 376.

In 1891, George Mason, 46, store keeper for factory, and his wife, Mary E. Mason, 36, were residing at 33 Cross Street, Chester Castle, Chester, Cheshire, England, with their children Arthur Mason, 3; Albert Mason, 6; Eliza A. Mason, 5; Florence B. Mason, 7/12; George Mason, 46, Jno H. Mason, 8; and Willm Mason, 10. (Source: 1891 Census of England; Class: RG12; Piece: 2862; Folio 61; Page 40; GSU roll: 6097972.) (EDITORS NOTE: Eliza Mason is shown as being born in County Cork, Ireland, in this census.)

A death registration was found for Mary Ellen Mason; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854; Year of Registration: 1898; Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec; Age at Death: 44; District: Chester; County: Cheshire, Flintshire; Volume: 8a; Page: 258.

Doris Hefkey found the following newspaper article reporting the inquest into the death of Mary Emma Williams in a metal box th at belonged to her Dad:

"Sudden Death of Chester Woman (headline)

Mr. Frank Turner, Death Coroner, held an inquest at the Chester Sheaf, on Thursday afternoon, touching the death of Mary Emma Williams, wife of George John Williams [EDITORS NOTE: Reversal of given names and Williams as surname], army pensioner, of 33 Cross St., Chester. The evidence adduced was to the effect that deceased who was 44 years of age, was employed at Spencer's Clothing Factory, in Northgate St. On Wednesday afternoon, while she was at work, she suddenly fell back into a companion's arms and became unconscious. Dr. Parry was sent for and he discovered the symptoms of an apoplectic seizure. As deceased did not get any better he advised her removal home. Here Dr. Gillen was called in, but death occured the same night.

Deceased was a weakly woman, but had not been complaining of ill health. A verdict to the effect that deceased died from apoplexy was returned."

Doris Hefkey notes that her medical dictionary indicates an "apoplectic seizure" is another way of saying she had a stroke.

A few days after the death of their mother, the eldest brother, George Wrench Williams, must have written a letter to one of his aunts in the USA. The following is the text of the reply from his aunt Emily, possibly the second wife of their mother's brother:

"Warren, Jan. 12, 1899

My Dear Nephew,

Your letter of the 29 reached here just 12 days after it was Posted, and we were very sorry indeed to learn of your sad Bereavement, in the loss of your beloved Mother, and coming so sudden and unexpectedly to you makes it very hard, I often thought of your dear Mother although I am a stranger in the family, and wished you lived where we might help you, as one might have done in so many ways had you been nearer, with your growing children, and ours grown.

We could have helped clothed your sisters and younger brothers without much expense, and taken a great large a family, but as it was we could not do much, one that has large families of their own can't always have money to send, for money does not grow on bushes here, as one Irishman made another believe, that all he had to do, if he came to America was to pick the money from the bushes like fruit, but people work very hard here for what they have but wages are better here I think than in England.

And now my dear boy, my heart goes out to you to night for I realize what a responsibility is resting on your young shoulders being the eldest of so many Brothers and sisters, and I would like you to write by return mail and tell me how many children there are, how many girls, and their ages, the age of the youngest child, and whether a boy or girl the name and age of your eldest sister, and our Lizzie when at your house said you had an Aunt that had been very kind to you all, when you were burned out that time. If she is there now will you ask her to write me and tell me what she thinks might be done for your dear sisters, they ought to be in school, and I do hope you and your other Brothers will be very kind to them for the dear Mother sake, and your friends will try and do what they can for you.
...
From your Aunt Emily"

John George William (aka George John Mason) died July 6, 1899, in Chester, Cheshire, England.

In 1902, Ella Mary Mason, 10 (along with her sister, Florence Mason, 12), arrived in Portland, Maine, USA, with a group of 125 girls en route to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

Violet Maskell obtained the following information from Barnardos:

"When Florence Beatrice and Ella Mary were admitted to Dr. Barnardos on the 22nd September, 1899 it is recorded that Florence had been born on the 3rd September, 1890 and Ella had been born on the 6th September, 1895, both in Chester and they had been baptised.

When Ella and Florence were admitted to Barnardos they stayed at our Girls Village Home here at Barkingside, were boarded out for a time at Denver, returning to the Village, prior to sailing to Canada on the 25th September, 1902 on the S.S. Colonian arriving in Portland on the 6th October that year. There were 133 girls and 169 boys in that party, making a total of 302 children.

When Ella arrived in Canada she went to a Mrs. Drinkwater at Castleton, Ontario and then to a Mrs. Cudney at Valens. She too, was in communication with her brothers and sister, though her health was delicate. In 1911 it is recorded that her elder sister who had come to Canada two years previously was in hospital in Pennsylvania. It is believed in 1912 she went to her married sister, Eliza Bond at Rickwood, Ontario."

The correct date was 1913 when she went to live with her sister in Richwood, Ontario, Canada.

On her brother Fred's Orange Lodge Membership Certificate Ella is listed as "Ella M. Cudney" as a beneficiary. It is thought that she was "adopted" by the Cudneys.

Ella Mary Mason married James Samuel Westbrook. They had one child, James David WESTBROOK.

James Westbrook died February 19, 1952 and Ella Mary Mason Westbrook died in May 1971, both in the United States.

ContributorsCreated : 2008-04-05 16:16:31 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-01-31 13:21:00 /

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Readers Comments

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 37 Entries

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
21910	MASON, Agnus	1910	ENG,	May 1928 : Letitia	CAN	Quarriers
25585	MASON, Anna	1891	ENG,	May 1909 : Corsican	CAN	Barnardos
3551	MASON, Arthur	1888	ENG, CHS, Chester	Jul 1901 : Numidian	CAN	Barnardos
18182	MASON, Arthur E	1874	ENG,	Jul 1888 : Polynesian	CAN	Waifs & Strays
2669	MASON, Charles	1893	ENG, MDX, London	Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
8617	MASON, Charles	1915	ENG, LDN, London	Jul 1925 : Athenia	CAN	Barnardos
10406	MASON, Charles W	1899	ENG,	Mar 1909 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
15281	MASON, Eliza	1895	ENG,	Mar 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
3549	MASON, Eliza Ann	1886	IRL,	Nov 1907 : Tunisian	CAN	Sailing Alone
20189	MASON, Elizabeth	1890	ENG,	Mar 1900 : Parisian	CAN	Louisa Birt
3552	MASON, Ella Mary	1895	ENG, CHS, Chester	Oct 1902 : Colonian	CAN	Barnardos
15280	MASON, Fanny Winefred	1898	ENG,	Mar 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
3550	MASON, Florence Beatrice	1890	ENG, CHS, Chester	Oct 1902 : Colonian	CAN	Barnardos
3547	MASON, Frederick	1893	ENG, CHS, Chester	Apr 1900 : Cambroman	CAN	Barnardos
6895	MASON, George	1889	ENG,	1903 : - Unknown -	CAN	Self-Help Emigration Society
21435	MASON, George Richard	1894		Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
2814	MASON, Henry	1871	ENG, DBY	Apr 1885 : Sardinian	CAN	Bristol Emigration Society
16888	MASON, Henry	1895	ENG,	Jun 1904 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
26168	MASON, Henry	1892	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
20586	MASON, Henry J	1891		Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
14481	MASON, Henry Thomas	1895	ENG, , Woolwich	Jul 1907 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
20781	MASON, James		ENG,	May 1893 : Sardinian	CAN	Rev. William J. Pady
26172	MASON, James	1893	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
26370	MASON, Jane	1888		Mar 1900 : Parisian	CAN	Louisa Birt
11236	MASON, John	1891	ENG,	Sep 1899 : Arawa	CAN	Barnardos
23071	MASON, Kenneth	1897	ENG,	Apr 1909 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
13355	MASON, Marion Elizabeth	1875	SCT, MLN, Edinburgh	May 1888 : Corean	CAN	Quarriers
15678	MASON, Mrgaret	1912	ENG,	Jul 1923 : Minnedosa	CAN	Barnardos
21434	MASON, Percival Francis	1896		Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
15664	MASON, Percy	1892	ENG,	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
19829	MASON, Percy	1902	ENG,	Apr 1913 : Teutonic	CAN	Hurst House Training Home
3005	MASON, Phoebe	1893	ENG,	May 1907 : Victorian	CAN	Liverpool Sheltering Home
26377	MASON, Samuel	1886		Mar 1900 : Parisian	CAN	Louisa Birt
2670	MASON, Thomas Henry	1894	ENG, MDX, London	Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
16730	MASON, Thomas Henry		ENG,	Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
21849	MASON, William Francis		ENG, , Millgrove	Mar 1908 : Dominion	CAN	National Childrens Home
9437	MASON, William Luther	1897	ENG, , Woolwich	Jul 1907 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 37 Entries

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