Artisans From England
Abraham John Mason was born in Goswell road, Clerkenwell, London, England on 4 April 1794 to Abraham John Mason and Christian Thomas. Abraham was christened on 27 April 1794 at Saint Luke's Church, Old street, Finsbury, London.
Abraham John Mason senior was a backmaker (a maker of wooden vats); he was apprenticed to Reynold Thomas, a backmaker in the brewing industry, of Tottenham Court Road on 10 January 1772. As in most London suburbs of the time, the street was filled with terraces with workrooms on the ground floor and living areas above. Goswell Road is about two miles east of Tottenham Court Road and much of the land between was open fields until built upon from the 1820's onwards.
Abraham John Mason senior was a backmaker (a maker of wooden vats); he was apprenticed to Reynold Thomas, a backmaker in the brewing industry, of Tottenham Court Road on 10 January 1772. As in most London suburbs of the time, the street was filled with terraces with workrooms on the ground floor and living areas above. Goswell Road is about two miles east of Tottenham Court Road and much of the land between was open fields until built upon from the 1820's onwards.
Abraham John Mason senior died of consumption and was buried on 1 September 1797 at St Luke’s Parish Church, Finsbury, London, England. Christian Mason also died of consumption and was buried at St Luke’s on 21 March 1803. Abraham John Mason was thus an orphan at the age of eight.
In September 1803, when he was just nine years old, Abraham was sent to Devon for education by relatives or other benefactors of means. Five years later, in 1808, he was articled to Robert Branston, a wood engraver. The apprenticeship was for seven years, after which time he remained with Branston as an assistant for five more years. Branston's office was at 10 East India Chambers, Leadenall street, London during this time. |
Abraham John Mason married Robinianna Bonner, daughter of Thomas Bonner and his wife, Mary, on 27 June 1815 in St Mary’s Islington. Robinianna was a niece of Robert Branston and a sister to George Wilmot Bonner, another apprentice of Branston. She was born in Clack, Wiltshire, on 8th February 1792. Abraham and Robinianna had eight children: Robert Thomas, Walter George, Mary Ann, Charles Voelker and George Birkbeck, also three other daughters who are unnamed at this time.
In 1821 Abraham John Mason commenced wood engraving professionally on his own account. In 1822 Abraham published a volume of his own poems, ‘Poetical Essays’, which met with favourable notice from the press of the time. The work was illustrated with eleven engravings by him, from designs by J. Thurston. There are 16 poems, including two birthday addresses to Robinianna and one to her sister Mary Ann Bonner. Other subjects include anarchy and war, peace, friendship, memory, avarice and death.
In March 1826 Abraham was elected a member of the Royal Incorporated Artists for the establishment of the Artists Annuity Fund in London, to which he belonged until the time of his death. In September 1827 Abraham was chosen as a member of the committee of management of the London Mechanics’ Institution founded in 1823 by Dr. George Birkbeck. Probably in response to this honour he named a son, born about this time, after Dr. Birkbeck. |
In 1829 Abraham exhibited a wood engraving at the Society of British Artists and on 16 May 1829, he delivered his first public lecture on wood-engraving at the Royal Institution before the leading scholars of the country. He continued to lecture on the subject at the London Mechanics Institution and the London Literary Institution and was admitted as an honorary member of the London Mechanic’s Institution on 15 July 1829.
In November 1829, Abraham sailed from London with his family for the United States and arrived in New York on 18 December of that year. He took with him numerous letters of introduction and testimonials from public institutions and individuals with whom he had been connected. In about 1833 Abraham opened a large bookshop in Canal Street, Brooklyn, New York. He continued working at his craft during this period and provided illustrations for a number of books whilst in New York.
Abraham also taught his son Walter the art of wood engraving. Some time before 1839, Walter was sent back to London to train under Mr G. Bonner. This was probably Walter’s cousin George Frederick Bonner, son of George Wilmot Bonner. Abraham had gone to New York with the hope of stirring up some interest in wood engraving. However the state of the art in America was such that, trained craftsman that he was, he was unable to find sufficient work there and he returned to England in 1839, a wiser and no doubt, poorer man.
In November 1829, Abraham sailed from London with his family for the United States and arrived in New York on 18 December of that year. He took with him numerous letters of introduction and testimonials from public institutions and individuals with whom he had been connected. In about 1833 Abraham opened a large bookshop in Canal Street, Brooklyn, New York. He continued working at his craft during this period and provided illustrations for a number of books whilst in New York.
Abraham also taught his son Walter the art of wood engraving. Some time before 1839, Walter was sent back to London to train under Mr G. Bonner. This was probably Walter’s cousin George Frederick Bonner, son of George Wilmot Bonner. Abraham had gone to New York with the hope of stirring up some interest in wood engraving. However the state of the art in America was such that, trained craftsman that he was, he was unable to find sufficient work there and he returned to England in 1839, a wiser and no doubt, poorer man.
Shortly after his return to England, Mason delivered his course of lectures on several occasions in London and in the provinces. Due to the rapid expansion of illustrated journalism in the 1840’s, the craft of wood engraving was able to increase its numbers enormously. Thus, there were about a dozen wood engravers in London at the beginning of the century and about 100 by 1833.
Abraham remained in England until the summer of 1856 when, due to his failing health, he again took to the sea and duly arrived in Sydney with his wife on the Vimiera on 1 November 1856. Three of their sons, had preceded them, George and Charles having arrived in 1850 and Walter and his family in 1852. In Sydney he gave a lecture on the poetry of Shakespeare to a crowded house at the School of the Arts and also twice attempted his favourite theme "The History and Practice of Wood Engraving”, but the subject failed to create sufficient interest to attract an audience. |
Abraham suffered from bronchitis and, after a few days of severe illness, his life ended on 18 August 1858 at his residence in Castlereagh Street, Sydney. He was 64 years old. He was buried on 19 August 1858, the funeral moving from his late residence to the Church of England Cemetery at Camperdown. He was attended to the grave by his sons and grandchildren. Several gentlemen of the city, some of them artists, also took the opportunity of showing the last token of respect to this devoted servant of graphic art.
George Birkbeck Mason had immigrated to Sydney, New South Wales with his brother Charles Voelker in about 1850. Both George and Charles worked as wood engravers; George was also an artist and music teacher. George’s work appeared in a fortnightly temperance publication, The Band of Hope Journal, from 1859 to 1861.
In about 1861 George took his family to Brisbane, Queensland where he opened a music shop. In 1863 George became the licensee of the Victoria Hotel in Brisbane, Queensland. He added a hall to the hotel and opened it as Mason's Theatre providing dramatic and musical entertainment. It was Brisbane's first theatre and drew a crowd of 400 people to its opening night in 1865. It was later renamed the Victoria Theatre or Victoria Concert Hall and after renovations in 1874 was known as the Queensland Theatre. Mason's Theatre was demolished in 1880 and the Theatre Royal was built in its place. |
George and Margaret Mason had a family of ten children, however six of their children died as infants. George and Margaret, together with their surviving children, Ernest Sydney, Selina Ann and Arthur John, returned to Sydney in about 1870. Clarence Wilmot Mason was born in Redfern, New South Wales in 1871 and Mabella Maud Mason was born in 1876 in Glebe, New South Wales. Mabella died aged about 9 months.
Due to the declining demand for wood-engraving, George was unable to gain regular employment and fell behind in payments to his creditors. He was declared insolvent in 1874 and again in 1886. He then had to rely on teaching music for his income. Margaret Mason died on 29 May 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales at about age 65. After her death, George returned to Queensland where he died on 2 October 1899 at Thargomindah, a small town in south west Queensland approximately 1100 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Both Charles Voelker Mason and his brother George "adopted"the surname Howard as stage names during their life times. George B Howard's foray into theatrical life was brief, however Charles V Howard was widely known as an entertainer and theatrical agent. Charles Voelker Mason died from epilepsy on 30 July 1881 at his residence in Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales at the age of 55 years.
Due to the declining demand for wood-engraving, George was unable to gain regular employment and fell behind in payments to his creditors. He was declared insolvent in 1874 and again in 1886. He then had to rely on teaching music for his income. Margaret Mason died on 29 May 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales at about age 65. After her death, George returned to Queensland where he died on 2 October 1899 at Thargomindah, a small town in south west Queensland approximately 1100 kilometres west of Brisbane.
Both Charles Voelker Mason and his brother George "adopted"the surname Howard as stage names during their life times. George B Howard's foray into theatrical life was brief, however Charles V Howard was widely known as an entertainer and theatrical agent. Charles Voelker Mason died from epilepsy on 30 July 1881 at his residence in Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales at the age of 55 years.
Abraham’s wife, Robinianna, died of 'old age' on 11 June 1881 at her residence 2 Nithsdale Street, Sydney and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney. She was 89 years old.
Descendants of Abraham John Mason
Abraham John Mason was born on 4 April 1794 in London, England and died on 18 August 1858 in Newtown, New South Wales at age 64 years. Abraham married Robinianna Bonner on 27 June 1815 in Islington, Middlesex. Robinianna was born on 8 February 1792 in Clack, Wiltshire, England and died on 11 June 1881 in Newtown, New South Wales at age 89 years. They had eight children: Robert Thomas, (daughter), (daughter), (daughter), Walter George, Mary Ann, Charles Voelker and George Birkbeck.
- Robert Thomas Mason was born on 23 March 1816 and was christened on 11 June 1819 at St Mary’s Parish Church, Islington, Middlesex, England. It is likely that Robert died as an infant.
- It is reported by several sources that a further three daughters were born to Abraham John Mason and Robinianna Bonner. All three children possibly died as infants. No records have been located thus far to confirm this.
- Walter George Mason was born on 8 February 1820 in Holloway, Middlesex, England, was christened on 2 March 1823 at Pentonville Chapel, Parish of St James in Islington, Middlesex, England and died on 12 March 1866 in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales at age 46 years. Walter married Eliza Whiteman on 19 July 1842 in London, Middlesex, England. Eliza was born on 9 December 1821 in London, Middlesex, was christened on 9 June 1822 in St Andrew's Church, Holborn, Middlesex and died on 14 August 1854 in Newtown, New South Wales at age 32 years. They had five children: Walter George John, Edward, Frederick Woodley, Alice Jane and George Frederick. Walter next married Jane Mary Teresa Brady on 15 September 1859 in Sydney, New South Wales. Jane was born in about 1840 in Dublin, Ireland and died on 6 October 1909 in Kinchela Creek, New South Wales at age 69 years. They had three children: Robinianna E, Charles Willmot and Percival Walter George.
- Mary Ann Mason was born on 27 May 1824, was christened on 18 June 1824 in Islington, Middlesex, England and died in June 1827 in Islington, Middlesex, England at age 3 years. She was buried on 14 June 1827 at St James Pentonville, Islington, London, England.
- Charles Voelker Mason was born in London, Middlesex, England, was christened on 11 October 1826 at St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England and died on 30 July 1881 in Balmain, Sydney, New South Wales at age 55 years. Charles married Annie Carnell in 1856 in Sydney, New South Wales. Annie died about 1879. They had one son who was born in 1877 in Warialda, New South Wales and died as an infant.
- George Birkbeck Mason was born on 29 October 1828 in London, Middlesex, England, was christened on 23 November 1828 in St James, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England and died on 2 October 1899 in Thargomindah, Queensland at age 70 years. George married Margaret Kate Tomlins on 17 July 1852 in Gosford, New South Wales. Margaret was born about 1831 and died on 29 May 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales aged about 65 years. They had ten children, only four surviving to adulthood: Thomas G, (Male infant), Emily, Ernest Sydney, Helen, Selina Ann, Frances Blanche, Arthur John, Clarence Wilmot and Mabella Maud.