Inherited Craziness
A place to share all the nuts found on my family tree

Showing posts with label Turncock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turncock. Show all posts

Wednesday 21 February 2024

Thomas Mason and Charlotte Dixon

St Pancras Old Church, Pancras Road, London
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Peter Trimming - geograph.org.uk/p/1673070
 Believed to be one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in England, and is dedicated to the Roman martyr Saint Pancras, although the building itself is largely Victorian.

Thomas Mason, youngest son of Samuel Mason and Amelia Baker, married Charlotte Dixon (bap. 29 Dec 1833 in Broxted), daughter of John and Elizabeth Dixon, on 21 Feb 1857 at the parish church of St Mary, Broxted, creating the family's very own Mason–Dixon line (sorry, couldn't resist).

Thomas and Charlotte Mason had at least nine children:
  1. Ellen Mason b. 1857 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 346, bap. 14 Jun 1857 at St Mary, Broxted
  2. Thomas Mason b. 1859 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 329, bap. 11 Dec 1859 at St Mary, Broxted
  3. Isabella Mason b. 1862 J Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 551, bap. 6 May 1862 at St James, Clerkenwell
  4. Evelyn Mason b. 2 May 1864, bap. 22 Jun 1864 at Old St Pancras, died in 1865  M Quarter in PANCRAS  Volume 01B  Page 106
  5. Evelyn Mason b. 18 Dec 1865, reg. 1866 M Quarter in PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 127, bap. 19 Jan 1866 at Saint Pancras, London
  6. Samuel Mason b. 30 Apr 1868 J Quarter in PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 58, bap. 8 Jun 1868 at St Pancras Old Church, Saint Pancras, London
  7. Frederick William Mason b. 9 May 1871 J Quarter in PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 77, bap. 14 Jun 1871 at Saint Peter, Saint Pancras, London
  8. Charlotte Elizabeth Mason b. 21 Dec 1873, reg. 1874 J Quarter in PANCRAS Volume 01B Page 61, bap. 21 Jan 1874 at Saint Peter, Saint Pancras, London. Died, aged 7, in 1881 J Quarter in HOLBORN.
  9. Edith Millicent Mason b. 1876 S Qtr in HOLBORN Vol 01B Page 659
In 1861, Thomas Mason (27) Dock labourer was living at 6, Thornhill Street, St Marys Islington, Islington, London with Charlotte Mason (26) and their two children to date: Ellen Mason (3) and Thomas Mason (1).

In 1871, living at Speedy Place, St Pancras, London, were Thomas Mason (37) Deputy turncock (as had been his sister's husband, Abraham Shelford), Charlotte Mason (36), Ellen Mason (13) Cartridge Maker; Thomas Mason (11), Isabella Mason (9), Evelyn Mason (5), Samuel Mason (2).

Thomas Mason must have died roughly between 1875 and 1881, but it hasn't been possible to narrow it down within that time frame.

In 1881, Charlotte Mason (47) Widow, Charwoman (unemployed) was living at 27, Green Street, St Andrew Holborn Above the Bars and St George the Martyr, Holborn with son Thomas Mason (21) Labourer; Isabella Mason (19) Florist artificial; Evelyn Mason (15) Domestic servant; Samuel Mason (12), Frederick William Mason (9) and Charlotte Elizabeth Mason (7).

In 1891, Charlotte Mason (57) Charwoman was living in Hastings Street, St Pancras, London, with her three sons: Thomas Mason (31) General labourer; Samuel Mason (22) Ostler and Frederick Mason (19) General labourer.

In 1901, Charlotte Mason, (60ish) was listed as Widow, Charwoman, Mother-in-law, living with William J Uttridge - married to Ellen Mason - at 5, Brantholme Place, St Pancras, along with Samuel Mason (32).

There are no more records that can confidently be attributed to Charlotte and it hasn't yet been possible to identify the relevant record of her death.

In 1911, Samuel Mason (42) was no longer living with the family and was a Porter and Salesman at Gray's InnGray's Inn Road, St Pancras, London. 

Monday 8 August 2022

Abraham Shelford and Sophia Mason

St James, Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell, London EC1
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2157513

Abraham Shelford (b. 28 May 1823, in Great Easton, Essex), son of William Shelford and Ann Stanes, married Sophia Mason, daughter of Samuel Mason and Amelia Baker, in the 4th quarter of 1859, in Kensington, London.

Abraham Shelford had previously married Caroline Kitty Collin in the Essex village of Tilty, on 31 Oct 1846, with whom he had a daughter, Mary Ann Shelford, b. 1846 D Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 12 Page 88, bap. 17 Jan 1847 at St Mary the Virgin, Tilty. However, Caroline Shelford had died, aged just 27, in 1854 J Quarter in DUNMOW UNION Volume 04A Page 219 and was buried, on 11 May 1854, at St John & St Giles, Great Easton. Their daughter, Mary Ann Shelford died, at 15, in 1862 M Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 424 and was buried, on 5 May 1862, in Hackney, Middlesex.

Abraham and Sophia added three children:
  1. William Shelford b. 1862 J Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 550, bap. 6 May 1862 at St James, Clerkenwell
  2. Alice Shelford b. 1863 D Quarter in CLERKENWELL Volume 01B Page 579, bap. 11 Dec 1863 at St James, Clerkenwell (Nothing after 1881)
  3. Emily Shelford b. 1869 J Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 155, died in 1870 M Quarter in SHOREDITCH Volume 01C Page 149
In 1861, Abraham Shelford (35) Deputy turncock n r co and Sophia Shelford (34) Deputy turncock's wife - such was the importance of the office - were living at 27, Rodney Street, Clerkenwell, London. Abraham's daughter Mary, listed as 16, was a Domestic servant in the household of William Paton, Upholsterer at 88, Pentonville Road, St James, Clerkenwell.

Turncocks were an official employed to turn on the water for the mains supply. This was done on a schedule: in those times, the water supply was not running all of the time. Abraham Shelford's employer, 'n r co' was undoubtedly the New River Company. The History of the London Water Industry, 1580–1820 (PDF)

In 1871, Abraham Shelford (44) was living at 43 Gifford Street, St Leonard, Shoreditch. On this census, his occupation is listed as Labourer, but I'm not sure I trust its veracity. His place of birth has been written as Great Eastern instead of Great Easton, which they've obviously confused with the SS Great Eastern, because, then someone has added 'At Sea' on the end of it, which is all that got transcribed. :) With him were wife Sarah Shelford (44) from Broxted, Essex and William Shelford (9) and Alice Shelford (7), both born in Pentonville, Middlesex.


In 1881, living at 23, Mary Street, Shoreditch, London, were Abraham Shelford (56) this time his occupation is listed as Waterman, but I'm certain, given his history, that this is as in someone who works for the water company, not the ancient waterways taxi driver. With him were Sarah Shelford (54), William Shelford (19) Carpenter and Alice Shelford (17) Laundress.

Then Sophia Shelford died, aged 56, in 1882 M Quarter in Shoreditch.

In 1891, Abraham Shelford (69) Water turncock, Widower, was living at 69 Tottenham Road, Hackney, London with son, William Shelford (29) Water inspector; Alice Shelford (27) Daughter-in-law and grandchildren: Edith (7), William J (5) and Ernest Shelford (3). (William Shelford married his 1st cousin, Alice Mason, daughter of John Mason and Mary Ann Turner in 1883.)

In 1892, Abraham Shelford married Sarah Maria Wilcox in Hackney. 

Abraham Shelford died, aged 73, in 1897, in Islington, London.

Sarah Maria Shelford remarried, in Bethnal Green, in 1898.