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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.

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.

Maybe William died abroad somewhere, if he had joined the army (that's assuming that the Louisa above is the right one.)

I've just done some research on The New Orphan Houses Ashley Down. The houses were built by an evangelist , George Muller. The condition of entry was that a child had to be born in wedlock and both parents must be dead. So, this may mean that George lost both parents at a very early age. What a sad thought.

I can't see a convincing death record for William between 1871 and 1881.

But maybe he didn't die then. If he joined the army after Martha's death, and was consequently unable to look after his children, maybe that would be enough to allow George to be in an orphanage.

Just in case this turns out to be George's sister;

This looks like the marriage for that Louisa:

Marriages Sep 1885 (>99%)
Filley James Gravesend 2a 744
GRAY Richard Gravesend 2a 744 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Mason Louisa Gravesend 2a 744 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Thompson Harriet Gravesend 2a 744
Tilley James Gravesend 2a 744

Marriage Details:

Married 31st Aug 1885
Parish Church of Milton next Gravesend
Bride: Louisa Mason, aged 18, Spinster, Milton
Groom: Richard Gray, aged 20 Bachelor, Milton Occ: Soldier
Bride's Father: Wm Mason, Occ: Soldier
Groom's father: Richard Gray, Occ: Mason
Witnesses: Julia Lane and Frederick John Lane

VERY long shot for sister Louisa in 1881:

Louisa Mason

in the 1881 England Census
Name: Louisa Mason
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Relationship to Head: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Aldershot, Hampshire, England
Civil Parish: Milton in Gravesend
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Street address: 17 Parrock Street
Occupation: Servant (Genl)
Registration district: Gravesend
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 872
Folio: 45
Page Number: 39
Household Members:
Name Age
Val Drayson 31
Harriet Drayson 24
Valentine Drayson 1
Louisa Mason 13


This would be the birth of that Louisa:

Births Jun 1868 (>99%)
MASON Louisa Farnham 2a 81

George's mother's death - and that's him in an orphanage in 1881.


1872 MASON MARTHA
Other surname: WARD F 29
ST GEORGE EDINBURGH CITY/MIDLOTHIAN 685/01 0221

Possibly George in 1871. Both parents, and Louisa, were born in England


George Mason
in the 1871 Scotland Census
Name: George Mason
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relationship: Son
Father's name: William Mason
Mother's name: Martha Mason
Gender: Male
Where born: Edinburgh
Registration Number: 662/1
Registration district: Bathgate
Civil Parish: Bathgate
County: West Lothian
Address: Academy St
ED: 7
Household schedule number: 220
Line: 5
Roll: CSSCT1871_152
Household Members:
Name Age
William Mason 28 - cooper
Martha Mason 27
Louisa Mason 3
George Mason 1



George Mason
in the Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
Name: George Mason
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 29 Dec 1869
Birth Place: Edinburgh Parish,Edinburgh,Midlothian,Scotland
Father: William Mason
Mother: Martha Ward
FHL Film Number: 6035516



Marriages Sep 1867 (>99%)
MASON William Newington 1d 292
WARD Martha Newington 1d 292

This is the only George Mason who looks possible in 1881:

George Mason
in the 1881 England Census
Name: George Mason
Age: 11
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relationship to Head: Scholar
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2488
Folio: 109
Page Number: 15

I think Barbara did that, Jude. She says her grandfather was William Stanley Mason, 1898 whose parents were George Mason & Sarah Ann Holmes.

Barbara,

The trick is to work back from what you actually know.

So tell us the ancestor you know and we can work back with you

Jude

find my past

Which website do you use for this information please?

theres 14 people living in different rooms in 19 westbourne terr it looks like a boarding house. george is on his own

So George was living independently in 1891?

Thank you so much. It looks as if I need to be more confident about my own research then.

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Westbourne Terrace North, Paddington, London, England

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
George Mason - Single Male 21 1870 Tailor Scotland

Parents' marriage?

Marriages Dec 1894 (>99%)

Holmes Sarah Ann Sturminster 5a 494
Mason George Sturminster 5a 494

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
117 Whitstone Road Shepton Mallet Somerset, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
George Mason Head Married Male Tailor Maker 41 1870 Edinborough Scotland
Transcription
Annie Mason Wife Married Female - 47 1864 London City
Transcription
Herbert George Mason Son Single Male Apprentice Engineer 14 1897 Street Som
Transcription
Elsie Lousia Mason Daughter Single Female Apprentice Silk Weaver 13 1898 Street Som
Transcription
William Stanley Mason Son Single Male School 12 1899 Street Som
Transcription
Harold Jack Mason Son Single Male - 9 1902 Shepton Mallet Som


married 17 years 5 children born 1 has died