Mary Margaret Mason1

#1047, (7 May 1799-15 August 1853)
FatherJoseph Mason2 (c 1770-)
MotherSarah Raynor2
ChartsBarbara Nicholson - ancestors
Last Edited14 Sep 2022
WikiTree ID:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mason-13659.
Mary Margaret Mason's signature from the certificate of her wedding to Samuel Westbrook
(Source: Event Date: 1 Apr 1820; Parish: St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney; Borough: Tower Hamlets)
     NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.
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Mary was born on Tuesday, 7 May 1799 at Middlesex.3,1 She was the daughter of Joseph Mason and Sarah Raynor.2 Mary Margaret Mason was probably baptised at St. Anne Limehouse on Sunday, 9 June 1799 at Tower Hamlets, London.2

She married Dr. Samuel Westbrook, a doctor, son of Henry Westbrook and Sarah Taylor, in a Church of England ceremony, after banns had been read on February the 20th and 27th and march the 5th at St. Dunstan's and All Saints on Saturday, 1 April 1820 at Tower Hamlets, London. She was 20 and her husband Samuel was 24.. Mary and Samuel went on to have seven known children together.4

Mary's child Margaret received her baptism at St. Dunstan's and All Saints on Thursday, 10 October 1822 at Tower Hamlets, London.5,6,7,8

At the age of 29 Mary and her husband Samuel emigrated with their three children from London on 4 March 1829 on the 'Calista' with with their three children. They were consigned to Hobart.9,10,11 Mary and her husband Samuel arrived at Swan River, Perth, Western Australia, on 31 May 1829. They came via Rio de Janeiro with 47 passengers.10


However, it seems that the Swan River District was a considerable disappointment:
"On Saturday last the long expected Calista arrived from England, via the new settlement at Swan River. The accounts brought by this ship of that place are far from satisfactory. The proposed colonization would seem to be a total failure ... The entrance to Swan River was found totally inaccessible, even to boats ; there being not more than four feet water upon the bar over which it unceasingly broke. The stores, and every thing else taken from the shipping, was therefore of necessity landed upon the beach, and carried a long distance across the land to the river inside the bar, to be again embarked in boats for conveyance to the proposed settlement, some 8 or 10 miles up the river. But the very worst part of the "Peel Colony," (as Mr. Hume called it in Parliament) is that the country itself seems to be altogether unsuited for the residence of man. The land is barrenness itself. Sand, sandstone, and granite, with- out an acre of good land, as far as observation has gone. The want of water is also most seriously felt; instead of those purling streams, and bubbling springs, which the London papers spoke of, the only bubbling appears to have been that which the Peel folks effected. In a word, the whole scheme seems to be an entire failure of the most unqualified description."12



Further describing the circumstances:
"The expectations of the settlers were somewhat disappointed, the quality of the soil not being near equal to what they had been led to anticipate; several exploring parties had been into various parts of the interior, but all the good land they had met with was reckoned not to exceed 3,000 acres. Two distinct settlements had been formed, one about twelve or thirteen miles up the River, which had been named Perth, and where Captain Stirling had pitched his head-quarters ; the other, close to the mouth of the River, had been called Fremantle. At Perth they were busily engaged in building dwelling-houses and stores, but at Fremantle they were all residing in canteens brought out from England. They were greatly in want of artificers."13

Aparently Samuel thought he might buy some land in the area but he continued on to Hobart. The conditions may have something to do with it, as might of his continuing role as the Calista's doctor. But perhaps the most important consideration might be family; his mother, probably widowed, emigrated to Hobart two years before and had endured a shipwreck.13,14

At the age of 30 Mary and her husband Samuel emigrated with their three children from Perth, Western Australia, on 21 September 1829 on the 'Calista' with with their three children.10,13 Mary and her husband Samuel arrived at Hobart on 24 October 1829.10,15
She presumably moved with her husband Samuel to Launceston, Tasmania, circa 1830.16

Samuel and Mary had their house struck by lightning on 19 November 1832:
"During a thunder storm at Launceston, on Monday last week, the lightning struck the residence of Dr. S. Westbrook, doing considerable damage to the building and household articles, but happily without striking or doing any personal injury to any of the inhabitants."17

She and Dr. Samuel Westbrook moved to Clifton House, in New Norfolk, Tasmania, on 17 February 1835.18

By 1838 they had had seven children, 6 of whom survived until adulthood.

Mary, as the mother of the bride, along with Samuel may have attended the wedding of Margaret and Rev. Samuel Berjew Fookes, a schoolmaster who emigrated from Dorset, in a Church of England ceremony at St. John the Baptist on Saturday, 20 February 1847 at Buckland, Tasmania. Margaret was 24 and her husband Samuel was 24.. Others who may have attended include Jane Berjew as mother of the groom. Samuel and Margaret went on to have four children together, two of whom lived into their adulthood.19,20,21 She presumably lived with her spouse Samuel at Pittwater, Tasmania, in 1852. They were to remain here for another eleven years.22

Mary died on 15 August 1853 at Sorrell, Tasmania, at age 54.23,24,1,25 Her body was interred at St. George's Anglican Church on 22 August 1853 at Sorrell, Tasmania. Her headstone reads "In memory of Mary Margaret, the beloved wife of Samuel Westbrook, surgeon of this parish, who died August 1853 aged 54 years".24,1

Timeline

DateEventPlace
Family
1799BirthMiddlesex3,1
2
1799Baptism-LikelySt. Anne Limehouse, Tower Hamlets, London2
1820Married Name1
1820MarriageSt. Dunstan's and All Saints, Tower Hamlets, London4
Quotation type 212
Quotation type 213
Note memo only13,14
1832Quotation type 117
1835Move-newClifton House, in New Norfolk, Tasmania18
Note memo only CR CR
1853DeathSorrell, Tasmania23,24,1,25
1853BurialSt. George's Anglican Church, in Sorrell, Tasmania24,1

Family

Dr. Samuel Westbrook (13 Jun 1795-2 Mar 1866)
Children

Citations

  1. [S276] Westbrooks (http://www.vintners.net/~mikel/family/westbroo.html).
  2. [S815] London. London Metropolitan Archives, London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, Oct 1783-Jul 1804 Name:     Mary Margaret Mason; Baptism Date: 9 Jun 1799; Parish:     St Anne, Limehouse; County: Middlesex; Borough: Tower Hamlets; Parent(s): Joseph Mason, Sanit Mason; Record Type: Baptism; Register Type: Parish Register.
  3. [S911] WikiTree (http://www.wikitree.com/) https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mason-13659 (for exact date and place).
  4. [S494] London. London Metropolitan Archives, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 Name:     Mary Margaret Mason; Spouse: Samuel Westbrook; Record Type: Marriage; Event Date:      1 Apr 1820; Parish: St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney; Borough: Tower Hamlets; Register Type:     Parish Register.
  5. [S1074] London. London Metropolitan Archives, London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1813-1917 Name: Margaret Sarah Westbrook; Gender: Female; Record Type: Baptism; Baptism Date:
    10 Oct 1822; Baptism Place: St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney High Street, Stepney, Tower Hamlets, England; Father: Samuel Westbrook; Mother: Aoury Westbrook; Register Type: Parish Register.
  6. [S569] Victor Malham,"Descendents of Samuel Brejew Fookes, Rev.PDF," , 23rd March 2012. Currently held by Tim Hill's collection, e-mail address page 1 (for place of birth and date).
  7. [S276] Westbrooks (http://www.vintners.net/~mikel/family/westbroo.html) http://www.vintners.net/~mikel/family/westbroo.html
  8. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.8).
  9. [S606] Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc. (http://wags.org.au) Settlers Gazette (http://wags.org.au/o/1829-ships/1829-shipping-arrivals/…).
  10. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) Archives Office of Tasmania; Tasmania, Australia; Reports of ships arrivals with lists of passengers; Film Number: SLTX/AO/MB/1; Series Number: MB2/39/1/1 ( http://search.Ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll).
  11. [S638] The Colonial Times (Hobart), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1829 'SHIP NEWS.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 30 October, p. 2, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8644627 (for departure date).
  12. [S590] The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1829 'SWAN RIVER.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 26 November, p. 3, viewed 8 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193945
  13. [S590] The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1829 'ADVANCE AUSTRALIA SYDNEY GAZETTE AND NEW SOUTH WALES ADVERTISER.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 3 November, p. 2, viewed 8 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193745
  14. [S608] The Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser, Hobart, Tasmania, 1827 'Loss of the Hope.', Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), 4 May, p. 2, viewed 9 April, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2450112
  15. [S638] The Colonial Times (Hobart), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1829 'SHIP NEWS.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 30 October, p. 2, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8644627
  16. [S638] The Colonial Times (Hobart), Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 1831 'Advertising.', Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas. : 1828 - 1857), 15 June, p. 1, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8645911
  17. [S609] The Hobart Town Courier, Hobart, Tasmania, 1832 'The Courier.', The Hobart Town Courier (Tas. : 1827 - 1839), 23 November, p. 2, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4195876
  18. [S609] The Hobart Town Courier, Hobart, Tasmania, 1835 'Classified Advertising.', The Hobart Town Courier (Tas. : 1827 - 1839), 20 February, p. 3, viewed 12 October, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4181622
  19. [S273] Tasmania, Marriage Certificate, 1847#1400 (Index only).
  20. [S728] GEDCOM file created by Donald L. Reid, 17 Feb 2014 (companion to 'Descendents of James MCKENZIE.rtf' p.3) (for exact place and minister).
  21. [S569] Victor Malham,"Descendents of Samuel Brejew Fookes, Rev.PDF," , 23rd March 2012. Currently held by Tim Hill's collection, e-mail address page 1.
  22. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) http://trees.ancestry.com.au/tree/837700/person/-2040352371 "Pineer History in Tasmania."
  23. [S814] Australia Death Index, 1788-1985, Births, Deaths & Marriages Name:     Mary Margarett Westbrook; Death Date: 15 Aug 1853; Death Place: Tasmania; Age: 54; Mother's name: Samuel; Registration Year: 1853; Registration Place: Port Sorell, Tasmania; Registration Number: 107; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1799.
  24. [S477] Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007 Ancestry.com, Name: Mary Margaret Westbrook; Death Age: 54; Birth Date: abt 1799; Death Date: 15 Aug 1853; Cemetery: Sorell St George Anglican; Cemetery Location: Sorell, Tasmania.
  25. [S318] Kemp Family History (http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com) http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com/getperson.php
  26. [S371] GEDCOM file created by Andrew Kemp, 25 March 2011.
  27. [S318] Kemp Family History (http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com) http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com/getperson.php
  28. [S338] Ancestry.com.au Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com.au/) http://person.ancestry.com.au/tree/61774382/person/…