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I am tracing the family tree of my great-grandfather Joseph Mason b 1864 who married Sarah Elizabeth Mellard in April 1896 at Beighton Parish Church, Derbyshire. She was the daughter of Joseph Mellard and Fanny (nee Staton), and on one certificate is listed as Sarah Lizzie Mellard.
Joseph was the eldest known son of Thomas and Mary Mason (nee Topliss), of Wednesbury, Staffs, England, who were married in 1859, he was born Jun 1864. However, previous census suggest that there may have been 2 or 3 earlier children, who may (or may not) have survived to adulthood.
Mary was widowed in the 1901 census and living with her son David and a grand-daughter Mary E Mason was also present (parents not known). Joseph was known to have lived in Church Gresley in 1881 and Beighton in 1891. He had 4 brothers and 2 sisters in the above censuses: Thomas, Simeon (1875-1895), David, Benjamin, Julia A., and Clara.
Church Gresley parish records suggest there may have been another brother who died between the censuses. Thomas, Simeon and Julia A were born at Wednesbury - the rest were born at either Church or Castle Gresley (two neighbouring villages nr Swadlincote, Derbys). Judging by the dates the Mason family moved to Church Gresley between 1875 and 1877.
Joseph and Sarah Elizabeth lived in Beighton and had my grandfather (Joseph William (known by the family as Billy) in 1899), then they moved to Dinnington in 1905 and had at least 2 children there - Lucy Fanny (1908-1908) and a boy Benjamin Mellard in 1913.
I am unable to find burial records of Joseph Mason. He died in May 1924 at Chesterfield Royal Hospital after an accident at Hartington nr Staveley, Derbyshire - a road traffic accident.
His widow, Sarah, died in April 1954 and was living at Chesterfield Road, Eckington until a short while before her death. I am also unable to find her burial details. As they were Methodists they could have been buried in Eckington Cemetery, but their records state this is not the case. Joseph and Sarah had 2 sons, 1 daughter who was born and died in 1908 at Dinnington (Lucy Fanny) and buried at Throapham, with possibly another daughter who died young - not yet proven, called Alice May.
Sarah Elizabeth's grandparents were Stephen Staton, 1823-1913, Belbroughton, Worcs and Elizabeth Turner, Ridgeway, 1826-1904, Derbyshire
Joseph's father Thomas was born on Dec 4 1839 at Dudley St, Wednesbury and his parents were Joseph and Sarah Mason (nee Spooner). I have found Thomas on the 1841, 1881 and 1891 census. He died in 1896.
Joseph (1864) and Thomas (1839) were both coal miners in Wednesbury and later Church Gresley and Beighton, Derbyshire. I have been unable (so far) to find out which pits they may have worked at, although it is possible that they worked at either Beighton or Birley Moor (which opened around 1890's).
Any help anyone can provide in any of the above families would be appreciated.
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