In 1881, the census enumerator identified the head of a Mariners Place household as “Harrison Mason”. I think this must have been a mistake. At Charleston Farm, Boynton, in 1851, Allison was a 17-year-old farm servant, bunking down with several other young men. In 1871, working as an agricultural labourer, he was at home with his parents in Thwing, his given age 35, his status unmarried, and his name again, unashamedly, Allison.
Two doors away that year, John BENTLEY, hind to Mrs BARUGH, (for whom Allison had worked twenty years earlier), was playing host to his sister in law, Barbara BOWMAN. Barbara’s sister, Mrs Bentley, was on this census night some miles away, under her parents’ roof in Filey – in Mariners Place.
One can’t help being a little intrigued, especially as the enumerator wrote that Barbara was unmarried.
Barbara HUGILL had married Francis Bowman in 1860. He may have died in the first years of the marriage – I haven’t yet found his death registration – but, towards the end of 1879, widow Bowman married Allison Mason in Little Driffield. Barbara’s father had died a couple of years earlier and at the 1881 census “Harrison Mason” shared his home with mother in law Mary. The 76-year-old lady paid her way, working as a laundress with Barbara. Allison was now working as a “general labourer”. He didn’t quite make it to the next census.
In affectionate remembrance of ALLISON MASON, the beloved husband of BARBARA MASON of Filey who died April 3rd 1890, aged 56 years.
‘Be ye also ready for in such an hour
As ye think not, the Son of man cometh’
Also of BARBARA MASON, the beloved wife of the above who died March 18th 1903, aged 65 years.
‘Leave this world without a tear, save for the friends
I loved so dear. To heal their sorrows, Lord
Descend and to the friendless prove a friend’
Also THOMAS HUGILL, father of the above BARBARA MASON, who died Nov 19th 1879, aged 77 years.
Also MARY his beloved wife, who died Nov 16th 1886, aged 83 years.
‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.
Yeah, saith the spirit, that they may rest
From their labours’
I don’t think Barbara had any children with her two husbands but there was another boy named Allison in this part of Yorkshire, briefly. The registrations of his birth and death are found in the first quarter of 1877, in Driffield. His father was John MASON, his mother Sarah DOBSON, but I haven’t yet found the family connection to the older Allison – which must surely exist.
Find the Allison who grew to be a man on FST.
The breakfast news mentioned that some British children would be walking out of school today in protest at the regime’s lack of any meaningful response to the threat of climate change. Good on ‘em. They must surely see their future slipping away from them. It is time to challenge those with the greatest capacity to make a difference. Put their feet to the fire.
