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Records exist of almost all the orphans at the New Orphan Houses, Ashley Down :

http://www.mullers.org/orphanrecords

It's possible Louisa was there as well, until she was old enough to work.

It has been confirmed that George and his sister were both taken in by the orphanage. Their mother died in 1872 and their father died in 1874.George was apprenticed to a tailor in 1884, Louisa was returned to her aunt, Mrs Jacks, in 1885. The orphanage educated girls until the age of 14 and they were then trained for domestic service for the next three years.
Their mother, Martha Ward married William Mason in 1867, so I'm looking for Martha's or William's siblings to see if I can track down Mrs Jacks. I think I've found Martha's birth in Newington in 1844 but the record on Find my Past doesn't give me details of her parents. If you can help, will you tell me how you did it please.

the louisa mason mentioned in the 1881 census above looks like ther parents were
robert and jane


Name Louisa Mason
Gender Female
Christening Date 10 Apr 1868
Christening Place COVE,HAMPSHIRE,ENGLAND
Father's Name Robert Mason
Mother's Name Jane

So, from the information you've been given, Barbara, Louisa should be at Ashley Down in 1881.


And here she is:

Louisa Mason
in the 1881 England Census
Name: Louisa Mason
Age: 12
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Relationship to Head: Scholar
Gender: Female
Where born: Stone, Staffordshire, England
Civil Parish: Bristol St James and St Paul Out
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Street address: "The New Orphan Houses" Ashley Down
Occupation: Scholar
Registration district: Barton Regis
ED, institution, or vessel: The New Orphan Houses 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2488
Folio: 122
Page Number: 2


And her birth:

Births Sep 1868 (>99%)
MASON Louisa Stone 6b 30

Possible Jacks / Mason marriages:

Marriages Dec 1880 (>99%)
Jacks Alexander Lichfield 6b 639
Mason Annie Mary R Lichfield 6b 639
Morecroft Eve Lichfield 6b 639
Orton Joseph Lichfield 6b 639



Marriages Jun 1855 (>99%)
BROWN Richard Hackney 1b 360
JACKS Thomas Henry Hackney 1b 360
MASON Mary Ann Hackney 1b 360
NEEVE Juliana Hackney 1b 360


There aren't any possible Jacks / Ward marriages - per FreeBMD.

DELETED wrong information

Assuming Martha was born in the Newington reg district, where she married, there are several possible births:

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Birth, Baptism & Christening
Name: Martha Ward
Birth: Apr 1844 - St George Southwark, London


England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Birth, Baptism & Christening
Name: Martha Ward
Birth: Jul 1844 - Newington, London


England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Birth, Baptism & Christening
Name: Martha Ward
Birth: Oct 1843 - St Saviour Southwark, London



England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Birth, Baptism & Christening
Name: Martha Ann Ward
Birth: Apr 1843 - Lambeth, London

Martha's father was named George - and so was William's:

Martha Ward
in the London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
Name: Martha Ward
Spouse: William Mason
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 22 Sep 1867
Parish: Holy Trinity, Newington
Borough: Southwark
Father Name: George Ward - plasterer
Spouse Father: George Mason - shoe maker
Register Type: Parish Register

Witnesses: George Ward and Louisa Mason



So this looks like Martha with parents and siblings:

Martha Ward
in the 1861 England Census
Name: Martha Ward
Age: 14
Estimated Birth Year: 1847
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: George Ward
Mother's name: Mary H Ward
Gender: Female
Where born: Southwark, Surrey, England
Civil Parish: Newington
Ecclesiastical parish: Trinity
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: Newington
Sub-registration district: Trinity Newington
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 243
Piece: 337
Folio: 124
Page Number: 41
Household Members:
Name Age
George Ward 56 - Ipswich, shoe maker
Mary H Ward 54
George J Ward 24
Mary H Ward 19
Martha Ward 14
Abraham Ward 14
Merian Ward 12
Eliza Ward 10



George Ward
in the London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
Record Image View
Name: George Ward
Spouse: Mary Hannah Smith
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 31 Oct 1831
Parish: Parish Chapel, St Pancras
Borough: Camden
Register Type: Parish Register

1851 - George and Mary Hannah are at different addresses:

George Ward
in the 1851 England Census
Name: George Ward
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1806
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Civil Parish: Southwark St George
Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: St George Southwark
Sub-registration district: Kent Road
ED, institution, or vessel: 08
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 72
Piece: 1563
Folio: 217
Page Number: 15
Household Members:
Name Age
George Ward 45 - Ipswich, shoemaker
James Ward 18 - son




Mary Ann Ward
in the 1851 England Census
Name: Mary Ann Ward
[Mary Ann Smith]
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1811
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: Abraham Smith
Gender: Female
Where born: St Saviowes Southwark
Civil Parish: Little Stanmore
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
Town: Edgware
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Registration district: Hendon
Sub-registration district: Harrow
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 33
Piece: 1700
Folio: 266
Page Number: 11
Household Members:
Name Age
Abraham Smith 68 - head, victualler (address: White Lion)
Mary Ann Ward 40 - daughter
Elizabeth Ward 16
George Ward 14
Mary H Ward 8
Martha Ward 7
Abraham Ward 4
Marian Ward 2
(also several pub employees)

This William has a father named George, who's a plasterer:

William Mason
in the 1851 England Census
Name: William Mason
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1843
Relation: Son
Father's name: George Mason
Mother's name: Frances Mason
Gender: Male
Where born: Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England
Civil Parish: Bethnal Green
Ecclesiastical parish: St Jude
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Registration district: Bethnal Green
Sub-registration district: Hackney Road
ED, institution, or vessel: 27
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 179
Piece: 1539
Folio: 606
Page Number: 36
Household Members:
Name Age
George Mason 45
Frances Mason 44
Frances Mason 21
Benjamin Mason 18
Ann Mason 15
Elizabeth Mason 13
Georges Mason 12
William Mason 8
Lorazas Mason 4

Eureka!!

William in 1861 with sister Mrs Jacks!

William Mason
in the 1861 England Census
Name: William Mason
Age: 18
Estimated Birth Year: 1843
Relation: Brother-in-law
Gender: Male
Where born: Hackney, Middlesex, England
Civil Parish: Meaford and Oulton
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
Town: Stone
County/Island: Staffordshire
Country: England
Registration district: Stone
Sub-registration district: Stone
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 23
Piece: 1910
Folio: 45
Page Number: 4
Household Members:
Name Age
Thos Henry Jacks 32 - cooper
Mary Ann Jacks 28
Mary Ann Jacks 9
Eliza Jacks 5
Thomas Henry Jacks 4
Elizabeth Jacks 2
Frances Jacks 1/12
Francis Mason 34 - mother-in-law (actually 54 on image)
William Mason 18 - brother-in-law - cooper
Louisa Mason 15 - sister-in-law


So that 1855 Jacks / Ward marriage which I posted earlier is the correct one:

Marriages Jun 1855 (>99%)
JACKS Thomas Henry Hackney 1b 360
MASON Mary Ann Hackney 1b 360

Possibly George Mason's sister Louisa in 1891 ??


Louisa Mason
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Louisa Mason
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867
Relation: Cousin
Gender: Female
Where born: Stone, Staffordshire, England
Civil Parish: Stone
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
Town: Stone
County/Island: Staffordshire
Country: England
Registration district: Stone
Sub registration district: Stone
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2142
Folio: 107
Page Number: 24
Household Members:
Name Age
Joseph M Wood 35 - brewer's traveller
Eliza Wood 35
Elsie G Wood 8
Reginald C M Wood 2
Louisa Mason 24 - general domestic servant
Annie E Bennett 16 - servant

And maybe in 1901, with year of birth a bit out?

Louisa Mason
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Louisa Mason
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871
Relation to Head: Servant
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Stone, Staffordshire, England
Civil Parish: Coventry
Ecclesiastical parish: St Michael
Town: Coventry
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Registration district: Coventry
Sub-registration district: St John
ED, institution, or vessel: 09
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2906
Folio: 173
Page Number: 29
Household schedule number: 179
Household Members:
Name Age
William J Parsons 42
Kate Parsons 40
Herbert Parsons 12
John Parsons 10
Edward Parsons 5
Robert Parsons 1
Darris Parsons 1
Kate Kendrick 20
Louisa Mason 30 - mother's help
(and other servants)

????
She's a servant.
Last residence: Coventry.[as in 1901 census above]
Going to Charlottesville, Va. to join betrothed, John A Crisp, [can't make out the address], Charlottesville, Virginia.

Louisa Mason
in the New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
Name: Louisa Mason
Arrival Date: 14 Dec 1902
Birth Date: abt 1869
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Ethnicity/ Nationality: English
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Lucania

I can't thank you enough for all this work. I'm going to spend some time going through it this morning and continue to extend my tree.

Re 1861 census, when William Mason is living with his sister Mary Ann - there's something not quite right because she is not included in the children of George and Frances in the 1851 census. Also, there's a Francis Mason aged 34, described as mother-in-law. Could these be transcription errors do you think?

Francis Mason, mother-in-law - she's actually Frances, mis-spelled Francis on the 1861 image, and she's the mother-in-law of Thomas Henry Jacks, who is head of the household.
She's 54 - mistranscribed as 34. She also a widow.

Mary Ann would have been 18 in 1851, so probably working and not living at home with her parents.
I'll have a look for her.

EDIT: See post at 14.57 today, for Mary Ann in 1851.

George (plasterer), Frances, and family in 1841, including Mary(Ann):

George Mason
in the 1841 England Census
Name: George Mason
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1805
Gender: Male
Where born: Middlesex, England
Civil Parish: Bethnal Green
Hundred: Ossulstone (Tower Division)
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Registration district: Bethnal Green
Sub-registration district: Hackney Road
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 693
Book: 9
Folio: 10
Page Number: 13
Household Members:
Name Age
George Mason 36 - plasterer
Pranas Mason 35
Eliza Mason 13
Fanny Mason 11
Mary Mason 9
Emma Mason 7
Hannah Mason 5
Elizabeth Mason 3
George Mason 1


The oldest child, Eliza, was born 1828.

Ancestry suggests this is George & Frances's marriage:

Frances Devonshire
in the London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
Name: Frances Devonshire
Spouse: George Mason
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 18 Sep 1825
Parish: St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Register Type: Parish Register

Correction re Mary Ann in 1851.

In 1851, with George & Frances, there's supposedly a child named Benjamin.

This is actually "Maryann", mistranscribed.

Incredible. I have spent more than an hour this morning trying to find information on George and Frances in 1841. I even put in Middlesex but nothing came up!
I did find their marriage though in 1825.
Do you think Ancestry is better than Findmypast?