Artisans From England
Walter George Mason was born in Holloway, a district in the London Borough of Islington, on 8 February 1820, the second son of Abraham John Mason, a well-known wood engraver and lecturer in London, and Robinianna Bonner. Walter was baptised in the Pentonville Chapel of the Church of England Parish of St James, Clerkenwell, on 2 March 1823.
Walter’s father began teaching him the art of wood-engraving when the family lived in New York in the 1830’s. Walter was sent back to London to train under Mr G. Bonner before 1839. This was probably Walter’s cousin George Frederick Bonner, son of George Wilmot Bonner. In England, Walter Mason became very well known as a wood engraver and worked with The Illustrated London News, Punch, Pictorial Times, The Art Journal, Illustrated Exhibitor, The Poor Man’s Guardian and other periodicals. |
His work appeared in more than 40 books published in London and Edinburgh, including at least 17 for children. The British Museum owns his engraved portrait of Queen Victoria on horseback after T.N. Nicholson; also proofs after J. Absolon, and a crudely engraved reproduction of a Louis Haghe painting.
In 1841, Walter Mason was an apprentice living at 9 Northampton square, Finsbury, Middlesex. There were five other apprentices living in the household of Joseph Hammon, a watch maker. On 19 July 1842, Walter George Mason married Eliza Whiteman, daughter of George Frederick Whiteman and Jane Humphries, in St Pancras Old Church, Pancras Road, London. Walter and Eliza Mason had five children: Walter George John, Edward, Frederick Woodley, Alice Jane and George Frederick. |
In 1843 Walter was living and working at 48A Paternoster Row, London; he had moved his premises to Fleet street by 1844. In about 1848, he again relocated to 9 Thanet place, Temple Bar. In 1851, the Mason family were living at 19 Argyle street, St Pancras, next door to Eliza Mason's parents, George and Jane Whiteman. Walter, a master engraver, employed three men and one apprentice at that time. He also employed a housemaid and a nursery maid. After three sons, Eliza Mason had borne a daughter, Alice Jane, in about March 1850 who was then just one-year-old. Sadly little Alice died six months later in November 1851. Another son, George Frederick was born a few months earlier on 20 July 1851.
Walter’s brothers, George Birkbeck Mason and Charles Voelker Mason, had immigrated to Australia in about 1850 and worked in Sydney as wood engravers. It seems likely that they encouraged Walter to join them. In 1852 Walter, Eliza and their four sons, left England for Australia, arriving in Sydney via the Windsor on 4 November 1852.
Soon after his arrival in Sydney, Mason became involved in the founding of The Illustrated Sydney News. Despite a small permanent staff and the fact that 4000 copies of the first issue were sold at sixpence a copy, the paper had financial problems from the beginning. Over a few months in 1854, five of the original proprietors left the partnership and Walter Mason became printer and publisher. There were a number of court cases between the departing and remaining proprietors during these years. These were very stressful times for the Mason family. Eliza Mason died on 4 August 1854 after a long period of illness, leaving four sons aged from 3 to 11 years. The final issue of The Illustrated Sydney News on 30 June 1855 described the difficulties faced in the young colony of producing a publication that had been compared unfairly with its contemporary The Illustrated London News. Walter then founded the Illustrated Sydney Journal which ran for only six weekly issues due to his lack of capital.
Walter’s brothers, George Birkbeck Mason and Charles Voelker Mason, had immigrated to Australia in about 1850 and worked in Sydney as wood engravers. It seems likely that they encouraged Walter to join them. In 1852 Walter, Eliza and their four sons, left England for Australia, arriving in Sydney via the Windsor on 4 November 1852.
Soon after his arrival in Sydney, Mason became involved in the founding of The Illustrated Sydney News. Despite a small permanent staff and the fact that 4000 copies of the first issue were sold at sixpence a copy, the paper had financial problems from the beginning. Over a few months in 1854, five of the original proprietors left the partnership and Walter Mason became printer and publisher. There were a number of court cases between the departing and remaining proprietors during these years. These were very stressful times for the Mason family. Eliza Mason died on 4 August 1854 after a long period of illness, leaving four sons aged from 3 to 11 years. The final issue of The Illustrated Sydney News on 30 June 1855 described the difficulties faced in the young colony of producing a publication that had been compared unfairly with its contemporary The Illustrated London News. Walter then founded the Illustrated Sydney Journal which ran for only six weekly issues due to his lack of capital.
The most extensive collection of Mason's work is contained in The Australian Picture Pleasure Book (J. R. Clarke Sydney 1857) with about 200 pictures illustrating the scenery, architecture, events, natural history, public characters, etc. of Australia, engraved, selected and arranged by him.
The diverse subjects include a French steamer leaving Port Jackson, the making of a sewer in Putt Street, Lola Montez, George Coppin, several portraits of the actress Catherine Hayes and goldfields scenes including 'a sly grog shop at Hanging Rock Diggings'. This was one of the earliest children’s books published in Australia. Although the work is artistically uneven, the publication is an invaluable record of the times and a source of illustrations for new books to this day. Images from the Australian Picture Pleasure Book are available through the National Library of Australia, Pictures Catalogue. www.nla.gov.au/apps/picturescatalogue |
Although engraving illustrations for a large number of newspapers, books and magazines, Walter was in financial difficulties for most of his time in Sydney. He lost his investments in The Illustrated Sydney News and The Illustrated Sydney Journal. He borrowed heavily and was unable to repay the debts. He was declared insolvent in 1857 and again in 1860. In 1865 Walter was again before the insolvency court. He said that he had been only partially employed for some years.
Despite his financial difficulties, on 15 September 1859, in St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Sydney, Walter married Jane Mary Teresa Brady, the daughter of William Brady, a Sydney tailor formerly of County Cavan, Ireland, and his wife Margaret Smyth. Jane had been born in Dublin and arrived in Sydney, aged one year and nine months, with her bounty immigrant parents on 26 December 1841 via the Lady Clarke. Upon the marriage Jane became step-mother to Walter’s four sons and, later, mother to Rubie, Charles Willmot and Percival Walter George. Percival was born about three months after his father’s death.
Despite his financial difficulties, on 15 September 1859, in St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Sydney, Walter married Jane Mary Teresa Brady, the daughter of William Brady, a Sydney tailor formerly of County Cavan, Ireland, and his wife Margaret Smyth. Jane had been born in Dublin and arrived in Sydney, aged one year and nine months, with her bounty immigrant parents on 26 December 1841 via the Lady Clarke. Upon the marriage Jane became step-mother to Walter’s four sons and, later, mother to Rubie, Charles Willmot and Percival Walter George. Percival was born about three months after his father’s death.
Walter George Mason died in his workroom at 84 Stanley Street on 12 March 1866. He was at the time, according to his son Edward, ‘in embarrassed circumstances and had to fill his schedule, which seemed to cause him great trouble’. He had been complaining during the previous month of pains in the chest and shoulders, but was always capable of doing his work. On the evening of his death he felt unwell, there was a delay in finding a doctor and he died from a rupture of one of the vessels of the heart.
Walter was buried in Camperdown Cemetery in Newtown on 14 March 1866. His grave (section 27, row 5) in Camperdown Cemetery (now a park) was also that of his daughter Rubie. The headstone now lies in the grounds of the adjacent St. Stephen's Church of England, Newtown. |
Sydney Punch of 17 March 1866 carried a four verse poem in memory of Walter Mason; the second verse appears on his headstone.
Another comrade down in life’s fierce fight
Whilst battling dauntlessly with life’s fierce foe -
Unceasing care, and the cold world’s despite -
Quick, keen and sudden came the fatal blow.
Veil ye your arms a while, all ye whose many a scar
And dinted shields too prove the fierceness of the war.
The cunning fingers ready to give being
Unto the fancies of the subtle brain,
Unnerv’d and listless lie, and all unseeing
The eyes whose depths betrayed a world of pain.
Still’d is the restless working of the troubled mind
The sorrow stricken heart has left its load behind.
No puny spirit his, to shrink beneath
Misfortune’s buffets, or the weight of care,
Or wielded idly, or in blank despair.
His was the ready brain, indomitable will
Stern pride, to face his share - large share - of worldly ill.
Bravely he trod the battle-field of life,
Though oft o’erborne by doubt and sad disaster,
And bearing lasting traces of the strife
In which he vainly strove his fate to master.
Still, like a valiant soldier, did he hold his ground,
And, with his buckler, hid his inly bleeding wound.
Whilst battling dauntlessly with life’s fierce foe -
Unceasing care, and the cold world’s despite -
Quick, keen and sudden came the fatal blow.
Veil ye your arms a while, all ye whose many a scar
And dinted shields too prove the fierceness of the war.
The cunning fingers ready to give being
Unto the fancies of the subtle brain,
Unnerv’d and listless lie, and all unseeing
The eyes whose depths betrayed a world of pain.
Still’d is the restless working of the troubled mind
The sorrow stricken heart has left its load behind.
No puny spirit his, to shrink beneath
Misfortune’s buffets, or the weight of care,
Or wielded idly, or in blank despair.
His was the ready brain, indomitable will
Stern pride, to face his share - large share - of worldly ill.
Bravely he trod the battle-field of life,
Though oft o’erborne by doubt and sad disaster,
And bearing lasting traces of the strife
In which he vainly strove his fate to master.
Still, like a valiant soldier, did he hold his ground,
And, with his buckler, hid his inly bleeding wound.
On 28 March 1866 a benefit for his pregnant widow and six children was held in the Victoria Theatre, Sydney, and attracted a crowded audience. The benefit raised just over £71.00 to help Jane and her children; in today's money that would be well over $10,000.
Jane Mason remained in Sydney for two or three years and on 14 August 1873 she married widower and farmer James Adams in Kempsey, New South Wales. Adams was the father of four daughters and two sons, aged from 2 years to 17 years. James and Jane Adams had four daughters: Ida May, Elsie Julia Kate, Eva Margaret and Muriel Gwendoline Alice. James Adams died on 19 August 1894 in Kempsey, New South Wales as a result of an accident. His horse stumbled over a road peg and James was thrown from the horse and suffered internal injuries. He was 68 years old.
After the death of her second husband, Jane Adams returned to Sydney for a time and lived with her daughter Robinianna (Rubie) Mason. After Rubie's death in 1907, Jane, now in failing health, returned to Kinchela Creek to the care of her daughter Ida Judd. Jane Adams died on 6 October 1909 in Kinchela Creek, New South Wales aged 69 years. She was buried in the Frederickton Cemetery on Great North road, Frederickton on 8 October 1909.
Jane Mason remained in Sydney for two or three years and on 14 August 1873 she married widower and farmer James Adams in Kempsey, New South Wales. Adams was the father of four daughters and two sons, aged from 2 years to 17 years. James and Jane Adams had four daughters: Ida May, Elsie Julia Kate, Eva Margaret and Muriel Gwendoline Alice. James Adams died on 19 August 1894 in Kempsey, New South Wales as a result of an accident. His horse stumbled over a road peg and James was thrown from the horse and suffered internal injuries. He was 68 years old.
After the death of her second husband, Jane Adams returned to Sydney for a time and lived with her daughter Robinianna (Rubie) Mason. After Rubie's death in 1907, Jane, now in failing health, returned to Kinchela Creek to the care of her daughter Ida Judd. Jane Adams died on 6 October 1909 in Kinchela Creek, New South Wales aged 69 years. She was buried in the Frederickton Cemetery on Great North road, Frederickton on 8 October 1909.
Descendants of Walter George Mason
Walter George Mason was born on 8 February 1820 in Holloway, England and died on 12 March 1823 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, England 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, Charles Willmot and Percival Walter George.
- Walter George John Mason was born on 23 August 1843 in West London, Middlesex, England, was christened on 17 September 1843 in London, Middlesex, England and died on 16 August 1929 in Melbourne, Victoria at age 86 years. Walter married Emma Susan Crispin in 1871 in Macleay River, New South Wales. Emma was born in about 1850 in Port Macquarie, New South Wales and died on 24 May 1934 in Vaucluse, New South Wales at age 84 years. They had seven children: Adeline Louise, Muriel Annie, Oliver Edward, Ethel, Lena Eliza, Walter Darchy and Arnold Blanston. Their two youngest sons both served in the First World War.
- Edward Mason was born was born on 7 March 1845 in London, Middlesex, England and died on 3 June 1923 in Fullarton, South Australia at age 78 years. Edward married Sarah Minell on 9 October 1869 in Camden, New South Wales. Sarah was born in about 1849 in New South Wales and died on 30 March 1870 in Surry Hills, New South Wales at age 20 years. Edward next married Margaretta Bourne Chisholm on 2 April 1875 in Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales. Margaretta was born on 6 October 1849 in Marrickville, New South Wales and died on 7 February 1921 in Hindmarsh, South Australia at age 71 years. They had eight children: Ruth, Henry Charles, Ethel Margaret, Violet, Estelle Patience, Rose Alice, Sophie Doreen and Elsie Frances.
- Frederick Woodley Mason was born in June quarter 1847 in West London, Middlesex, England and died on 1 February 1926 in Canterbury, New South Wales at age 79 years. Frederick married Rose Minell on 16 June 1875 in Waterloo, New South Wales. Rose, the younger sister of Sarah Minell who married Edward Mason, was born in 1851 in New South Wales and died on 14 September 1940 in Lakemba, New South Wales at age 89 years. They had no children.
- Alice Jane Mason was born in March quarter 1850 in Saint Pancras, London, England and died in November 1851 in London, Middlesex, England at age 1 year 9 months. She was buried on 8 Nov 1851 in Highgate Cemetery, London, Middlesex, England.
- George Frederick Mason was born on 20 July 1851 in Saint Pancras, London, England and died on 24 September 1910 at age 59 years. George married Elizabeth Ann Warburton on 18 January 1899 in Goulburn, New South Wales. Elizabeth was born in 1869 in Goulburn, New South Wales and died on 14 October 1945 in Lakemba, New South Wales at age 76 years. They had five children: Lillian Irene, Alma Pearl, Thelma Louise, Frederick George Lorne and Arthur Bertram.
- Robinianna E. Mason was born in 1860 in Sydney, New South Wales and died on 19 January 1907 in Ryde, New South Wales at age 47 years. She was buried in Camperdown Cemetery, Newtown, New South Wales with her father Walter George Mason. She never married.
- Charles Willmot Mason was born on 5 June 1862 in Sydney, New South Wales and died on 8 May 1945 in Auburn, New South Wales at age 82 years. Charles married Mary Agnes Kirby on 20 February 1892 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mary was born on 24 September 1868 in Girtroe, County Kerry, Ireland and died on 11 July 1941 in Auburn, New South Wales at age 72 years. They had seven children: Walter James, Charles Percival, Mary Josephine, Harry, Rubie Frances, Muriel Agnes and John Joseph.
- Percival Walter George Mason was born about three months after the death of his father, Walter George Mason, in about June 1866 and died in June 1917 in Newtown, Sydney, New South Wales at age 51 years. Percival married Margaret Rosanna Georgina Heggie on 1 September 1892 in Sydney, New South Wales. Margaret was born in 1863 in Camden, New South Wales and died in June 1928 in New South Wales at age 65 years. They had three children: Thomas Walter George, Ruby V. and Robert Edward.