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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Renfrewshire => Topic started by: australis82 on Monday 21 April 14 10:58 BST (UK)
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Greetings from Australia,
I'm not new to family history, but new to this site, and hoping to get some help finding information on Mary Craig Masson (later Clarke), my g-grandmother, maybe from the 1901 census.
Here's everything I know:
DOB 12.12.1891 (too late for the 1891 census).
Surnames: "Craig" was her maiden name at birth; her parents died not long after and she was adopted/taken in by a family named Masson.
Married 8.4.19, Kirkintilloch, to Alfred Jennings Clarke (lived at "Luggie View", Kirkintilloch).
Moved to Melbourne, Australia shortly after (not sure of the date or ship name); had a son there in 1921.
Died Melbourne 16.7.1981.
Any information or help available would be much appreciated!
-A
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Good morning and welcome to rootschat ..There is a Mary C Masson born 1892 Greenock aged 9 living with her Uncle Robert Rossie 48, Maggie A Rossie 43,and a Christina R Agnew in Cumbernauld ?
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Do you have parent's names for Mary and date of birth and place for husband ??
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Hi Rosie,
Thanks for the quick replies and the information. Does it list a date or just the year for her birthdate?
I have very little information about her parents; all I know is that they both died when she was young, they probably lived in Greenock, and that their surname was probably Craig. She kept it as a middle name when she married and dropped Masson in favour of her husband's surname. Her husband's name is Alfred Jennings Clarke, dob. 13.6.1881, Kew, Victoria, Australia, died 27.7.73 in Melbourne, Australia. He served in the AIF in WWI (infantry) - I presume they met in the UK while he was training there. He served in northern France in 1917-1918, returned to London in late 1918, married Mary in Kirkintilloch in April 1919, then returned to Australia in June 1919. There's no record that I can find of her transport to Australia, but her son was born there in 1921.
Thanks again,
A
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Do you have a copy of her marriage certificate and her birth that should list her parent's names not having much luck on the passenger lists ....Did see a Mr & Mrs A.J.Clarke & infant departing from Melbourne to Albany 1922 on ship Katoomba ..They also appear on the Electoral rolls but you most probably have that information
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I have an extract of their marriage certificate as part of her husband's military records (record of change of next of kin and relationship status), but there are no parents listed for either of them - just their DOB and place of birth. I don't have her birth certificate either unfortunately. Where are you getting the info from? Is it all from the census, or are there other places I could find information like this (preferably without a subscription, and accessible online from outside Scotland)? I don't have the electoral roll information either yet, but I'm looking into getting it through freedom of information in Australia. I'm also looking into ancestors on another branch of the family tree, and knowing where to get information like this (passenger lists, British birth/marriage/death certificate information) would be very useful. Thank you! :)
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I have the parent's for Alfred Jennings Clarke born 1881 Ken Victoria father Charles Clarke mother Mary Ann Jennings ...Birth and death Australia Index ...these records are on Ancestry you can also search www.familysearch ..which this one is free ....Scotlands People will have birth record for Mary Craig you have to buy credits for this one ..I will check the Electoral rolls again and see if there are any more family
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I have just checked the marriage for Mary and Arthur as I had a few credits left on S P it lists her father down as John Masson and her mother down as Mary Craig both dead as you said so it seems her mother had Mary in 1891 and the John Masson has adopted her ....So it looks like that is Mary in the 1901 census ...There are a few deaths on Scotlands People for John and Mary Masson so maybe you could buy some if you wanted to view them ...I will send you P M and Will forward the copy of marriage will have another look on Ancestry
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Australia Death index Mary Craig Clarke 1981 Glen Victoria parents John B Masson and Mary Craig is this your Mary
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Just adding to all the info found by Rosie here.
There is this potential marriage showing in 1874 for a John Borthwick Masson and a Mary Craig https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XY9Z-VXB
I thought this might be them in 1881 in Greenock:
John B Masson 30 Iron Turner At Works b. Glasgow
Mary Masson 28 b. Edinburgh
James Masson 5 b. Greenock
John Masson 3 b. Greenock
Address: 5 Hope St, Greenock
Monica
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Further entry for 1891 (surname as trascribed):
John B Maston 40 Iron Turner b. Glasgow
Mary Maston 38 b. Edinburgh
James Maston 15
John Maston 13
David Maston 9
George Maston 4
Address: 5 Hope St, Greenock
Monica
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As you are expecting, there is a birth showing on the index of www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk for a Mary Craig Masson in Greenock. It is pay to view, but reasonable. You will be able to view and download the birth certificate for Mary there, letting you confirm her details.
Monica
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Possible/likely death for John Borthwick Masson in 1892 in Greenock. Struggle with the death of wife Mary though...
Monica
Added: www.inverclyde.gov.uk/education-and-learning/libraries/local-and-family-history/family-history/intimations
MASSON John 1892 John R. Masson, iron turner, died at 5 HopeStreet, Greenock on 16th March 1892. Wife Mary (Greenock Telegraph 16.3.1892)
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That seems like the right parent's Monical Mary C Masson in the 1901 census with Robert Rossie he is a Tailor and on Mary's marriage she is a clothier cashier says relation niece Robert's wife Maggie was born 1858 Leith Edinburgh so maybe her mother's sister ....Think there might be a transcription error on Robert's surname Rossie/ Norris / Norrie ...As Monical said you would need to get birth for Mary to go any further :) :)
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Some of the son's of Mary Craig and John Borthwick Masson also went to Australia
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Hi Rosie
That is good that you have some further link for the Masson brothers going off to Australia.
Can't see so far the link to Robert Norrie (rather than Rossie as you said) being an uncle to Mary b. 1892. His wife Margaret has the surname of Anderson not Craig...although she could be a half sister maybe? Hopefully things and relationships will be clearer with more info along the way. Maggie Anderson married Robert Norrie in 1885 in Edinburgh from the index.
Just for more background, this is the Robert Norrie and Margaret mentioned earlier, in 1891:
Robert Norrie 38 tailor and clothier b. Newburgh Fife
Margaret Norrie 33 wife b. Leith Midlothian
Alexander M Norrie 30 brother tailor b. Newburgh Fife
Address: 3 Holyrood Quad, Glasgow/Kelvin
Monica
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Just found Mary's death details here:
MASSON Mary 1898 Mary Craig, widow of John Masson, engineer, formerly of Greenock, died at Leith on 14th March 1898. (Greenock Telegraph 15.3.1898)
Same link as before www.inverclyde.gov.uk/education-and-learning/libraries/local-and-family-history/family-history/intimations
If you leave off 'Craig' from the name search on deaths on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk, there is a death showing in 1898 for a Mary Masson in Leith.
Monica
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You have been busy Monical that rules out Robert's wife then ?
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Possible birth for John Burthwick Mason born 10th March 1851 christening 4th May 1851 Gorbals Lanark father James Mason mother Eliza Borthwick :) :)
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Monical there is a birth in Leith 15th May1857 Margaret Anderson Masson parents Eliza Borthwell &James Masson ?? I wonder ::) ::)
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Hi
1851 there is a James Massone b Queensferry 1811, a pattern maker with wife Elizabeth living in the Gorbals and with an infant 1mo as well as older children. 1861 transcribed as James Mason and with wife Elizabeth B the same family seem to be in Leith. Son John is 10 and born Glasgow and daughter Margaret 3 b St Cuthberts (civil parish showing as Leith St Cuthberts). The older siblings also seem to match.
William
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Monical there is a birth in Leith 15th May1857 Margaret Anderson Masson parents Eliza Borthwell &James Masson ?? I wonder ::) ::)
Well done Rosie. My brain stuck on Craig. Didn't consider Aunt Masson!
William, that info fills out the family further doesn't it.
The marriage cert will hopefully help in identifying Mary Craig's family further.
Monica
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Monical there is a birth in Leith 15th May1857 Margaret Anderson Masson parents Eliza Borthwell &James Masson ?? I wonder ::) ::)
Well done Rosie. My brain stuck on Craig. Didn't consider Aunt Masson!
William, that info fills out the family further doesn't it.
The marriage cert will hopefully help in identifying Mary Craig's family further.
Monica
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Monical there is a birth in Leith 15th May1857 Margaret Anderson Masson parents Eliza Borthwell &James Masson ?? I wonder ::) ::)
Well done Rosie. My brain stuck on Craig. Didn't consider Aunt Masson!
William, that info fills out the family further doesn't it.
The marriage cert will hopefully help in identifying Mary Craig's family further.
Monica
Your right Monica until certificates are purchased we cant go any further
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Hi All
Are you still looking for info?
The threads so far are mostly correct (except name spellings by either census taker or whoever deciphered the census records onto computer).
My own line is from a brother of Mary Craig Masson's father, who left Scotland in 1880 and came to New Zealand (via Australia). Other brothers also went to Australia and am in contact with some of them in Melbourne.
Message me for details and we can compare notes/info.
For my own records I would like to hear more of the descendants of Mary Craig Masson/Clarke etc