Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I have been looking for information on my great grandmother Bertha Mason born May 3rd 1897. She had a sister Phoebe Mason born Sept.11th 1892. as well as a brother Henry Mason born July 3rd 1896. I have searched the UK 1901. census records & can't seem to find them. They didn't come to Canada until 1907. And Bertha in 1909. As well I haven't been able to tract them through any of the Canadian census record either. I did learn that Phoebe spent some time in a workhouse before she came to Canada. All the kids were in a sheltering home in Liverpool befor coming to Canada. Part of Annie Macpherson Homes. Have looked at dozens of sites trying to glean any information as to there parents who were still alive when there children were put into care. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Hi and welcome,

Where did the exact dates of births come from.

Between 1890 & 1895 only one Phoebe Mason was registered in Liverpool,

Phoebe Mason, Sept Qtr 1892, Toxteth Park, 8b 167.

Baptism at St Clements, 13 July, 1892,
Parents, William Mason, Policeman, Phoebe Mason
15 Lorton St.

I enquired from the sheltering home Barnardo's who took over the record keeping from Annie Macpherson Homes. My great grandmother was actually part of Mrs. Birts party when she came to Canada. She was Annie Macphersons sister I believe. I'm confused as to why the other children wouldn't be listed all together on a census record? I saw that reference that you mentioned, but I don't think it could be the right one, becaus there is no mention of Bertha or Henry. And if the father was a policeman it would be unlikely that the kids would end up in a sheltering home? Thank you for the greeting!

Bertieone wrote:Hi and welcome,
Where did the exact dates of births come from.
Between 1890 & 1895 only one Phoebe Mason was registered in Liverpool,
Phoebe Mason, Sept Qtr 1892, Toxteth Park, 8b 167.
Baptism at St Clements, 13 July, 1892,
Parents, William Mason, Policeman, Phoebe Mason
15 Lorton St.

In 1901 they were a big family: RG13 Piece 3469 Folio 35 Page 62
Address: 22 Harcourt Street, Kirkdale, West Derby.
William Havelock Mason Head 44 1857 Policeman - Tranmere, Cheshire
Phoebe Mason Wife 38 1863 - Liverpool
William Mason Son u/m 20 1881 Dock Labourer - Liverpool
Charles Mason Son u/m 19 1882 Dock Labourer - Liverpool
Thomas Mason Son 14 1887 Dock Labourer - Liverpool
John Mason Son 13 1888 Dock Labourer - Liverpool
Clara Mason Dtr 11 1890 - Liverpool
Phoebe Mason Dtr 9 1892 - Liverpool
Walter Mason Son 1 1900 - Liverpool
Frank Mason Son 2 1899 - Liverpool
James Mason Son 0 1901 - Liverpool

Deaths Sep 1905: MASON, Phoebe [43] - Liverpool 8b 91

1910+1:
William Havelock Mason Head Widower - 54 1857 - Pensioned policeman - Tranmere, Cheshire
Frank Mason Son 12 1899 School - Kirkdale
Annie Adlade Mason Dtr 4 1907 - At home - Liverpool

Births Mar 1907: MASON, Annie Adelaide - Toxteth Park 8b 150
Deaths Sep 1905: MASON, Phoebe [43] - Liverpool 8b 91
This death is the only one that fits and since the child Annie can't have been born after Sep qtr 1905 it is probably a late registration.

Are you sure that Bertha had a sister Phoebe and a brother Henry?
The only birth that fits the DoB you have posted is this one:
Births Jun 1897: Mason, Bertha - Bolton 8c 396

The nearest fit for Henry Mason is:
Births Dec 1896: Mason, Henry - Salford 8d 5

The McPherson Homes records may have mistakenly assumed the Mason children were siblings when put forward for emigration to Canada or when the records were transferred to Barnados.

Following up and ruling out the Bertha Mason birth 1897 in Bolton...

1901: RG13 Piece 3607 Folio 39 Page 11
Address: 24 Rutland Grove, Bolton, Lancashire
Richard Mason Head 35 1866 Cotton Spinner - Bolton, Lancashire
Caroline Mason Wife 32 1869 - Chorley, Lancashire
James Mason Son 8 1893 - Bolton, Lancashire
Bertha Mason Dtr 3 1898 - Bolton, Lancashire
Florence Mason Dtr 2 1899 - Bolton, Lancashire
Joseph Mason Son 1 1900 - Bolton, Lancashire

The above Bertha is still with her family 10 years later so she can't be your Bertha.

Oh my gosh you have no idea how good it feels to even have someone else take a look at this. I really appreciate your time & effort. I have gotten so frustrated at times, I give up but am always drawn back. Yes I'm sure Bertha had a brother & sister by these names. I confirmed what Barnardo's said through the library & Canadian Archives. They have there immigration info posted k the dates all match up. As well Bertha married my great grandfather William Pratt who was much older than herself, an arranged marriage, she was only 15. They had three children together, he was abusive to her & she left him & the kids. She for western Canada. She apparently talked about her brother & sister often. When I contacted Barnardo's they said that a member of Henry's family had made enquiries also. They were unable to share that info with me because of privacy laws. I did find out through tweety bird genealogy that Phoebe had spent some time in a workhouse before she came to Canada? Is it possible the whole family was at the workhouse? Maybe they didn't do census information from those workhouses?

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Mrs Birt's rang bells with me as a couple of lads in my own family were there for a while before being shipped off to Canada.

We have tried to collect a few links that might be useful in your search http://forum.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk ... 14&t=12673 and also a recent list of records that have been acquired from Nugent Care by the Archivist at the Liverpool Record Office. There is an email address on that post for her and she would try to check for any records of your family, however they are in the middle of cataloguing the records and an answer might not be speedily returned as there are many thousands of records to be searched through.

Just to add, Anc have the shipping record for Phoebe who is listed as 14 in 1907 along with loads of kiddies to Montreal aboard the ship S.S Victorian. Her age more likely to be 17 when she married in Canada I would think.

Background for the crew....

Passenger: BERTHA MASON
Departure day: 19 Feb 1909
Departure port: LIVERPOOL
Destination port: HALIFAX, CANADA
Ship name: CORSICAN
Shipping line: ALLAN LINE STEAMSHIP CO LTD

Bertha was in a group of about 60 children.

Passenger: HARRY MASON
Age: 11; Birth year: 1896
Departure date 15 Feb 1907
Departure port: LIVERPOOL
Destination port: HALIFAX, CANADA
Ship name: VICTORIAN

I did find out through tweety bird genealogy that Phoebe had spent some time in a workhouse before she came to Canada? Is it possible the whole family was at the workhouse? Maybe they didn't do census information from those workhouses?

If Phoebe was not with a family in 1901 it is more likely she was in a children's home or 'industrial school', not a workhouse. And workhouses, children's homes etc were included in the census.

And if the father was a policeman it would be unlikely that the kids would end up in a sheltering home?

With regard to the Mason family post above, it is quite possible that William found it too difficult to maintain such a large family following the death of his wife Phoebe. It was not unknown for a parent to opt to put a number of their children into care, and once there 'lose' control over what happened to them.

As to what happened to the three young children who are missing from the 1911 census...
Clara Mason bn 1890; Walter Mason bn 1900 and James Mason bn 1901, I have only so far found a likely hit for Clara:
Marriages Sep 1910: Mason, Clara married Bister, Walter - W Derby 8b 1085.
But, this isn't the right Clara because she is residing with her mother Alice Mason [bn 1870] in the census less than a year later at 40 Thielmere Road, Everton.

So where are the missing children? In 'Homes' or forcibly emigrated? Might help finding Bertha and Henry in 1901.

Hi D.S thanks for finding young Harry to Canada 2 years before Bertha.
I reckon your policeman Dad is the father and as you have stated, too many kiddies to care for after his wife's death.
Thanks
1911 Frank 12 born Harcourt St Kirkdale
Annie A 4 born Dove St Toxteth