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Glad this info. is helpful. No, I never knew the parents at all. You would have really enjoyed the sister's company. Everyone without exception loved Mollie for so many of her qualities not least her love of life. She was always the same - never a cross word always kind and interested in you and always so generous too. I have no way of putting pictures on here at present, but have quite a few including Mollie and Gee as guests at our wedding in 1985 and school photos of Mollie and her classes over many years at Walford. I quite often went across to The Pheasant as a youth when Ada was alive, as it was the pub I most enjoyed visiting, and for some time following - up to Gee's death. It is a private cottage now. I well remember the back room where the kegs were kept. There was no bar. You met one of the sisters as you went inside the front door where they were mingling with the locals and asked for your drink. It was just like entering (well it was!) their front room. Quickly the drinks were brought in from the back room with its whitewashed walls, low beams and earth floor. I bet it's very different now as a modernized home.     JohnCH.

Hi Jan.

I knew Mollie really well from when I was a small boy. My father was Headmaster of the school as mentioned before in Walford. She was a wonderful lady, fairly average height and appeared quite large in girth around the children - bit like a mother hen. She was always happy and always such fun. The infants loved her and for many years long after  they were grown up with their own families they'd never forget Miss Mason. As their children reached school age they all wanted them to be in her class at the school. She retired in July 1968, but was always present at the main school events after that.

She taught for twelve years at Upton Bishop VA School in her home village, followed by one year at Vowchurch School, but from the end of May 1934 she joined the staff at walford School.

She was a warm-hearted, kindly and charismatic teacher. She loved music - was a good pianist, she organised school choirs and took the choirs to Music Festivals. She was always good to me and interested in my musical career. Mollie bicycled the eight miles from Upton Bishop to Walford daily. She was the only lady owner of a Morris Minor for miles around for years when she bought her first original model around 1950. She worked tirelessly for Charity and was acknowledged with the Rotary award for Community Service in 1986.

She and her sisters were great friends of the tv actress Noele Gordon of Crossroads who lived in Ross for many years before Nolly's death. Mollie died on 31st December 1998 and is buried in the churchyard at Weston-under-Penyard near Ross-on Wye. She was born on 1st march 1903. She was the third daughter of Edwin and Annie Mason (ne Oakley). Her father was the licensee of The Pheasant from 1900 until his death in 1962. Then Ada took over the licence.

I have a number of photos of them over the years if you are interested in seeing them please let me know. I never heard anything of their brother at all, but I did know that he had existed. 

Regards.  JohnCH.

 

I knew all three of the Mason sisters very well, who kept the Pheasant Inn at Upton Bishop. Mollie, as she was always called, the youngest, I knew best. She died at the end of 1998. If you like to contact me, I can tell you much more info.  JohnCH.