George Robert Masefield (1830 - 1870)

Born 1830 in Bewdley, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Ann (Summerbell) Masefield — married 7 May 1862 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 17 Sep 1870 at about age 40 in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

George was born in 1830. He passed away in 1870.

George Robert Masefield was born at Bewdley, Worcestershire, England in 1830, and was baptised at Ribbesford, Worcestershire on 12 April 1830, his parents recorded as George and Elizabeth Masefield.^[1]

At the time of the 1841 census, George, age 11 was living with his parents and siblings at Ribbesford, Worcestershire. His father George was a school master.^[2]

In the 1851 census, George was listed at !0 Bedford Terrace, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, age 21, "assistant schoolmaster", sharing accommodation with two other assistant schoolmasters.^[3]

He arrived in July 1853 at Port Phillip Bay, Australia, on the Agnes Blaikie. The passenger list has: George Masefield, age 23, Gentleman,^[4]

By December 1859 he was living in Sydney and working as a teacher when the newspaper Empire reported on 20 December 1859:

Central Police Courts, Monday 19 December 1859

BEFORE Messrs. Ronald, Spence, Ross, Peden, Cullen, Lucas, G.Hill, and Murphy.

George Robert Masefield, teacher, was charged with using insulting language to James Watt, gentleman, in Pitt Street, opposite the School of Arts. It was proved that the defendant had used the words "You are a liar and a scoundrel," and he was ordered to pay a fine of forty shillings.^[5]

Marriage: George Robert Masefield married Annie Summerbell (1845–1866) on 7 January 1862 at St. Andrews Cathedral, Sydney. ^[6]

Marriage Notice, Empire, Sydney, 10 January 1862:

MASEFIELD-SUMMERBELL--On the 7th January, at St Andrew's Cathedral Church, by the Rev. George King, George Robert, eldest son of the late George Masefield, Esq., Park House, Bewdley, Worcestershire, England, to Annie, only surviving daughter of the late Andrew Summerbell, Esq., Miller's Point, Sydney.^[7]

They had children:

• George Andrew Masefield 1863–1866
• Annie Elizabeth Masefield 1864–1949

George ran a small private school in Devonshire-terrace, William Street, Sydney, and in September 1864 moved to Belvedere House (later part of Belvedere Hotel at 81 Bayswater Road, now demolished).^[8]

He advertised in The Sydney Morning Herald on 3 September 1864:

Mr. MASEFIELD begs to announce that he has REMOVED from Devonshire-terrace, William-street, to “Belvidere House”, Upper William Street-South. His pupils now have the advantage of a large paddock, forming part of the premises; and also the run of a considerable tract of adjoining bush land.

Both George's wife Annie and his son George Andrew died in 1866.

Marriage: George Robert Masefield married Adah Cornelia Ann Smith (1838–1899) on 20 June 1868 at St Stephen's Church of England, Penrith, New South Wales.^[9]

They had one child:

• Adah Lizzie Masefield 1869–1870

On 22 September 1869 George was officially made insolvent In January 1870. George’s home and school moved to smaller premises at Ellora Cottage, Upper William Street. His daughter Adah Lizzie died on 26 February 1870.^[8]

Death: George Robert Masefield died on 17 September 1870 at Gladesville Hospital. He was described on his death certificate as "Schoolmaster (lunatic)".^[8] He was buried at Saint Jude's Cemetery, Randwick.^[10]

His daughter Annie Elizabeth was adopted by Joanna Walker, the sister of Thomas Walker of Yaralla, Concord, to be a companion for Thomas Walker's daughter Eadith.

More details about George Robert Masefield's life in Sydney is in Searching for Annie Masefield : a family history journey, by David Carment.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J71S-JG6 : 10 April 2021), George Robert Masefield, 1830.
2. ↑ 1841 England Census for George Masefield Worcestershire, Ribbesford Ancestry.com sharing link
3. ↑ 1851 England Census for George Masefield Kent Tonbridge Tunbridge Wells 4a Ancestry.com sharing link
4. ↑ Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 British 1853 for George Masefield Ancestry.com sharing link
5. ↑ CENTRAL POLICE COURT.—Monday. (1859, December 20). Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), p. 5. Retrieved December 29, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64094739
6. ↑ Marriage: Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 Cathedral Church St Andrew 06 August 1860 - 25 November 1868 for George Robert Masefield Ancestry.com sharing link
7. ↑ Family Notices. (1862, January 10). Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), p. 1. Retrieved December 30, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60506818
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} David Carment, Searching for Annie Masefield : a family history journey, (2016) https://dcarment.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/annie-sulman_s-hidden-years16.pdf
9. ↑ Marriage: Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 Penrith St Stephen Marriage 28 April 1856 - 24 August 1868 for George Robert MasefieldAncestry.com sharing link
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/241300552/george-robert-masefield: accessed 9 March 2023), memorial page for George Robert Masefield (unknown–17 Sep 1870), Find a Grave Memorial ID 241300552, citing Saint Jude's Cemetery, Randwick, Randwick City, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by Renee Cunningham (contributor 47418798).