Genealogy Chat

I am looking for information about a couple, Charles Mason and Eliza Norman. According to his death certificate, Charles Mason died in NZ in 1870 aged approx 70 years, he was born in England. His wife, Eliza Norman, died in 1872 in NZ aged 52 and was also born in England.

Using freeBDM, I have found a marriage between a Charles Mason and an Eliza Norman in 1848 (Jun qtr) at Kidderminster, Worcestershire. I know they emigrated to Australia before they arrived in NZ, and have found a shipping record for a Charles and Eliza Mason arriving in Sydney in December 1848. However, the shipping record states that Charles was from Maidley, Shropshire and Eliza was from Ambury, Shropshire.

When I go back to freeBDM and look for a Charles Mason marriage in Shropshire, it brings up the Kidderminster one. My English geography is not very good. Is Kidderminster in both Shropshire and Worcestershire? Also, does anyone know where Ambury is - I can't seem to find it on Google. I think Maidley is actually Madeley. Are Madeley and Ambury close to each other, and where are they in relation to Kidderminster?

I would be very grateful for any help you could give me.


Thanks

Sarah
Brisbane, Australia

Kidderminster is quite close to the Shropshire border so it may be possible that Eliza was born in a village in Shropshire but Kidderminster in Worcestershire was the local registration district. I cannot find a placename similar to Ambury in that area.

There is Alveley in Shropshire which is not far from Kidderminster. Have you found Eliza on 1841 census ? If so what location is given ?

Thanks for your help, LD

I am not sure if I can find Eliza Norman in the 1841 census. There is no Eliza Norman born Shropshire, but there is one born in Wochestershire abt 1821, who is residing in St Clement, Worchestershire. It might be her, but I am not sure of where St Clement is in relation to Kidderminster.

My first thought is that a possible alternative for Ambury could well be Hanbury. However Hanbury is in Worcestershire, near Bromsgrove and between Kidderminster and Worcester, not in Shropshire.

There is an Eliza Norman of about the right age in Worcester in the 1841 census which could be the woman you are looking for.

I have just come across a CuriousFox entry where a person is looking for descendants of a Charles and Mary Mason who were in Cleobury Mortimer. Their children were born in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Mary then died and Charles Mason married an Eliza Norman! The timing fits, so it could possibly be the Charles Mason/Eliza Norman that I am tracking.

Do you know where Cleobury Mortimer or Bridgnorth are in relation to Kidderminster, Madeley or Alveley?

Thanks for any help

Sarah

Hi Sarah

Thanks for replying. Hanbury and Ambury could easily be mistaken for each other. Do you know if Hanbury is close to St Clement? If so, it could be the Eliza Norman from the 1841 census in Worcestershire.

Thanks again


Sarah

St Clements was a parish in North West Worcester from what I can gather.

Kidderminster is to the north (roughly) of Worcester. Given the seven years difference betwen the sources it is possible that it is the same Eliza

Hanbury is some miles from Worcester but it is possible that it is the right person.

Hanbury is a small village and it is possible that the family moved to Worcester for better employment prospects etc

Bridgnorth is midway between Madeley and Kidderminster (which are approx 24 miles apart). Cleobury Mortimer is 12 miles west of Kidderminster.

"Do you know where Cleobury Mortimer or Bridgnorth are in relation to Kidderminster, Madeley or Alveley?"

There is a road that runs from the Madeley area, through Bridgnorth and on to Kidderminster. Bridgnorth is roughly half way between the two. Alveley is also on the same road between Bridgnorht and Kidderminster.

Cleobury Mortimer is to the south-west of Bridgnorth.

Another option for Ambury is Arley which is just off the Kidderminster - Bridgnorth road.

Thank you so much Sarah

I actually feel like I am starting to trace Charles and Eliza, after many months of struggling to find anything!

Can anyone recommend a good website where I could see where all these places (St Clements, Kidderminster, Hanbury, Madeley, Bridgnorth and Cleobury Mortimer) lie in relation to each other? It is always difficult when some place names are towns or villages, while others are parishes or areas.

Hi LD.

Thank you also. You must have submitted while I was typing!! Very exciting. Sounds like the Charles Mason in Bridgnorth could well be the same Charles Mason who put Madeley on his shipping record.

Thank you Reg

I am starting to work out the geography, with lots of help from all you guys!!

Thanks Reg, I will do that. Should help to clear my head and sort out where's where.

Just to throw another spanner in the works Avenbury Bromyard Herefordshire is only about 10 miles from Cleobury Mortimer and at one time the Shropshire Herefordshire Worcestershire borders were a lot closer than they are today.

Thank you Lissy

That sounds very interesting - something else for me to follow up.

I am so grateful for all the help I have been given tonight.

Avenbury near Bromyard is really a very tiny parish rather than a settlement - with very few scattered houses - near where I live - and halfway across Herefordshire from the Shropshire border. I would think it unlikely

Having said the above I did find the following birth in the adjoining parish - which is probalby a complete red herring

ELIZA Pedigree
Female
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Event(s):
Birth:
Christening: 02 NOV 1828 Stanford Bishop, Hereford, England
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Parents:
Father: JAMES NORMAN Family
Mother: ELIZABETH

I did also find the following on the IGI which lists Charles father as William


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CHARLES MASON Pedigree
Male Family
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents:
Father: WILLIAM MASON Family
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages:
Spouse: ELIZA NORMAN Family
Marriage: 03 MAY 1848 Kidderminster, Worcester, England

Thanks for that K

I am just off to bed, so will check them out in the morning.

I think 'my' Eliza Mason was bap 1817 at Birdport Street Countess of Huntingdons or Calviniworcesterodist, Worcester to parents John Norman and Margaret Heap. She seems to be the only Eliza Mason in the 1841 census that fits. Though I am not sure how that fits in with the Ambury, Shropsire, that she put on her passenger list for Australia. Obviously, I still have more work to do!!