Frederick Mason

Frederick Mason was born in 1887 in Nottingham and was the son of William a bricklayer and Harriett Mason née Wilkin. His father William was born in 1863 at St Whittlesea, Cambridgeshire and his mother Harriett Wilkin was born in 1859 in Cattenham, Cambridgeshire, they were married in Nottingham in 1883 and went on to have 8 children all of whom were born in Nottingham, they were William b1885, Fred b1887, Florence b1889, Elizabeth b1891, Mary b1894, Arthur b1896, Herbert b1899, Harriett b1903. In the 1911 census the family are living at 34 Saville Street, Nottingham and are shown as Harriett 53 yrs married head of the family she is living with her children , William 26 yrs a bricklayer, Elizabeth 20 yrs a factory hand, Mary 17 yrs a factory hand, Herbert 12 yrs a scholar, Harriet 8 yrs a scholar , also living with at the address is William 3yrs a grandson. Frederick married his wife Ada Haywood (born 18th January 1887) in 1908 at Nottingham, they lived at 66 Gawthorne Street, Basford, Nottingham, they had the following children, Arthur born 8th December 1907 and Mabel Ada born 22nd February 1909. In the 1911 census the family are living at 117 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, they are shown as Fred Mason 24 yrs a fish fryer, he is living with his wife Ada 24 yrs and their children, Arthur 3yrs and Mabel 2 yrs of age, they state they have been married for 3 yrs and have had 2 children, Following his death his widow Ada was awarded a pension of 22 shillings and 11 pence a week which commenced on 5th November 1917. His widow later remarried and went to live in Canada.

In the 1911 census he is a fish fryer.

Private Frederick Mason, enlisted in Nottingham , he initially served with the Army Service Corps and then with the West Yorkshire Regiment (service number 500040) . He was serving with the 21st (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, when he was killed in action on 9th April 1917. He buried in Roclincourt Valley Cemetery grave reference 3.D.19

In memoriam published 9th April 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “MASON. – Killed in action April 9th, 1917, Pte. F. Mason, Northumberland Fusiliers. A loving husband, a faithful friend, one of the best that God could lend; he always strove to do his best, but now he takes the heavenly rest. – From wife, children, and Lily. “MASON. – In loving memory of my dear son, Pte. Fred Mason, killed in action April 9th, 1917. Days of sadness still come o'er us, tears of sorrow often flow, memory keeps our loved one near us, whom God claimed one year ago. – From sorrowing mother, sisters, brothers (Will and Herbert in France).” Above are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918