KENNETH RALPH MASON

Born: 12th May 1888, at Lonsdale House, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Baptised on the 14^th June 1888, at St. Peter’s Church, Ipswich – family home at Lonsdale House, Ipswich.

Died: 21st June 1915; age 27; KiA – at St. Vaast Port, France.

Suffolk Regiment diary shows 3 ranks and Lieutenant Mason were killed, 3 others wounded, when German 5.9 Howitzers fired on their trench position. The position had previously been occupied by a British anti-aircraft gun, which had been troublesome to the Germans. It had been removed in the night, and the bombardment was hoped to destroy the British gun.

Residence: Trevose, Felixstowe & The Abbey Place, Pershore, Worcestershire.

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 4th Battalion.

Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & 1915 Star.

Grave Reference:

I.F.7.

St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery,

Richebourg-L’Avove,

Pas de Calais,

France.

Relatives Notified & Address: Youngest son of George Calver Mason & Leticia Maria Mason, of Ipswich. Brother of Harold Percy Mason, of 23, Church Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Brother to WILFRID HOWARD MASON.

CENSUS

1891   Lonsdale House, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Kenneth was 2 years old and living with parents & siblings.

George Calver Mason, 48, a Seed Crusher (oil cake merchant) & Paper Manufacturer – employer, born Ipswich.

Letitia Maria Mason (nee Williams), 46, born London.

Catherine May Grace Mason, 22, Mother’s Help, born Ipswich.

George Godson Mason, 21, a Merchant’s Clerk – Coals, born Ipswich.

Harold Percy Mason, 19, a Student of Law, born Ipswich.

Mabel Constance Mason, 17, born Ipswich.

Oswald Hugh Mason, 13, born Ipswich.

Malcolm Forty Mason, 11, born Ipswich.

Theodore Septimus Mason, 9, born Ipswich.

Wilfrid Howard Mason, 7, born Ipswich.

1 governess

1 cook

1 nurse

2 housemaids.

1901   Broadwater, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Kenneth was 12 years old and living with his parents & siblings.

George, 58, an Oil Seed Crusher (oil cake merchant) – employer.

Letitia, 56.

Ernest Calver Mason, 30, born Ipswich.

Mabel, 27.

Oswald, 23, Paper Manufacturer – employer.

Malcolm, 21, a Clerk at Oil Seed Business.

1 domestic servant

2 cooks

1 hall boy

3 housemaids

1 kitchen maid

1 butler

1 footman.

1911   4, Marine Place, Sidmouth, Devon.

Kenneth was 22 years old, a Law Student. He was lodging with 8 other law students at the lodging house of 34 year old, Howard Frederick Clements.

Kenneth’s father, George Calver Mason, died suddenly on Wednesday, 30^th August 1905, at his residence, Broadwater, Belstead Road, Ipswich.

Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury – Friday, 1^st September 1905 – SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. GEORGE CALVER MASON – By the death of Mr. George Calver Mason, which occurred suddenly early on Wednesday morning at his residence, Broadwater, Belstead Road, Ipswich has lost a most worthy citizen. Mr. George Mason was in his 64^th year, and had not been in the best of health for a long time. On the advice of Dr. Wood, he recently consulted a London physician, who, after a thorough examination, did not consider it necessary for Mr. Mason to give up his public duties; however, he considered great care was necessary. A few days back the deceased gentleman was seized with pains, which so alarmed him that he decided to remain indoors, but none of his family expected that death, which was due to angina pectoris, was so near.

Mr. George Calver Mason was one of three sons of the late Mr. George Mason, who had a large commercial interest in the town. Mason’s oil mills, paper works, and timber and cement works were big concerns, and remain so to the present day. The subject of this notice, with Mr. Herbert W. Mason, of Sproughton, took over the interest in the oil mills, and in the paper works, both of which were Limited Companies, and became the senior member in both enterprises, whilst the other brother, Mr. F. W. Mason, who now resides at Felixstowe, became proprietor of the timber yard, and cement works.

Although Mr. Mason never aspired to municipal honours, his name was prominently before the Ipswich public as a member of the Ipswich Dock Commission and Chairman of its Committee of Management. He was first elected to the Commission in September, 1875, and on retirement of his father, in 1889, from the position of Chairman of the Management Committee, he was elected to the vacancy, and helped materially to carry on the steady work of progress which the Commission has constantly in hand of making new channels, straightening the river, providing additional dock accommodation, etc. He was keenly alive to the necessities of continuing such work in order to cope with the larger vessels that now come to the port, and he had a knowledge of what was needed in this direction such as no other individual member possessed. As a member and one of the original signatories to the articles of association for the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, he also accomplished good work, and in 1887 he succeeded the late Mr. John Jefferies as chairman; it is interesting to note that in that capacity he attended the Jubilee service at Westminster Abbey. Mr. George Mason too, was a member of the Ipswich Municipal Charities, and he also found time to take a large interest in the affairs of St. Mary Stoke parish. He was a foundation manager of the Voluntary Schools, and churchwarden. His worth as a public man was duly recognised about a year ago, when he was made Justice of the Peace, and he had several times since attended the sittings of the Magistrates. Although never an active politician, he was for one year President of the Bridge Ward Conservative Club, taking the position on the clear understanding that he should not be called upon to do active party work. Mr. George Mason was extremely successful as an amateur photographer, and was first President of the Ipswich Camera Club, which was established last year. He had interested himself in some of the more advanced and complicated processes of pictorial production, including colour printing, and many beautiful specimens of his work adorn the walls of his house. At the time of the Club’s first exhibition last November, Mr. Mason was absent on a visit to Ceylon, and on his return he vacated the presidency in favour of Dr. Francis Ward.

As showing the suddenness with which Mr. Mason succumbed it may be mentioned that he attended divine service at St. Mary Stoke Church last Sunday morning, and set out from his residence in the evening with the intention of again going to church, but he had one of those attacks of which he was subjected, which compelled him to return and call in medical aid. He improved, but another attack occurred late on Tuesday night, and life was fast ebbing away when Dr. Wood arrived. The deceased married at Tunbridge Wells about 38 years ago; his wife, eight sons, and two daughters are left to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and father. Besides his two brothers now living, the deceased has two sisters, Mrs. Stagg, of Weybread, and Miss Mason, who is engaged in missionary work in India.

Kenneth’s mother, Leticia Maria Mason, died on the 10^th March 1917, her residence Trerose, Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Kenneth was educated by private tuition with Mr. Frank Gilbert M.A., of ‘Cantley’ 49, Madeira Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, before moving on to Ipswich School – entered 1899, where he was a member of the Cadet Corps and the Literary & Dramatic Society. Kenneth continued his education at Jesus College, Cambridge, joining in October, 1909. He took Part I and Part II exams in Law and History and took his B.A. in June 1913.

Kenneth was a member of the Footlights Comedy Club

Soldiers’ Effects to Harold Percy Mason Esq. and Oswald Hugh Mason Esq. – brothers.

Probate to Harold Percy Mason, a solicitor & Oswald Hugh Mason, a gentleman – brothers.

Kenneth is also remembered on the Chapel war memorial at Ipswich School, and at Felixstowe, Suffolk, and also at Jesus College, Cambridge, and on his parents’ headstone at St. Mary’s Church, Belstead, Suffolk and on a brass plaque at St Mary at Stoke Church, Ipswich.

Kenneth’s paternal grandfather, George Mason,

was Mayor of Ipswich 1875 – 1876.

Kent and Sussex Courier – Friday, 2^nd July 1915 – Second-Lieutenant Kenneth Ralph Mason, of the 4^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (T.F.), who was killed in action in France on the 21^st June, was the youngest son of the late Mr. G. Calver Mason, of Ipswich, and brother of Mr. H. P. Mason, of Speldhurst. He was for a short time resident in Tunbridge Wells as a pupil of Mr. Frank Gilbert, M.A. He was educated at Ipswich School and Jesus College, Cambridge, where he served in the Cambridge University Officers’ Training Corps. On mobilisation he enrolled in the Inns of Court Officers’ Training Corps, from which he received his commission in the 4^th Suffolks. His brother Captain M.F. Mason, also of the 4^th Suffolks, was wounded at Neuve Chapelle, and his cousin Stewart Mason, was drowned in the Lusitania.

Suffolk Regiment, 4th Battalion:

SUFFOLK REGIMENT 1/4th Battalion Territorial Force:

On the 21st of June in the Neuve Chapelle area, the Germans shelled the 4th Battalion’s position, in the hope of knocking out an anti-aircraft gun which had been troublesome to German aircraft in previous days. The gun had already been moved before the bombardment. Officer Second Lieutenant Kenneth Ralph Mason, Private 2194 John Henry Alcock, Private 2185 William George Welham, and Private 2810 Frank Wright, of Benhall, Suffolk, were killed on the 21st of June, and three more men were wounded.

Suffolk Regiment Battalion movements

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