Pembroke Constantine Masson (1878 - 1963)

Born 8 Oct 1878 in Pinxton, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom [uncertain]

Died 17 Feb 1963 at age 84 in Ulladulla, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

Pembroke claimed he was born about 1879 in Nottingham, England.

However, in the 1881 Census he is living with his parents William H and Susan, and 2 brothers (and 3 servants) in Daventry, Northhamptonshire. His father is a surgeon.^[1] He was said to be born in Pinxton, Derbyshire in that census. No birth registration has been located. His date of birth is recorded as 08 Oct 1878 from when he joined the NSW Public Service as a teacher.

In the 1891 Census he is still living with his parents and 3 siblings in Daventry.^[2]

He served in the Boer War, but neither the unit nor for how long is known.

Pembroke was appointed as a school teacher with the NSW Department of Public Instruction (later Education) from 02 Nov 1903. His first position was as an Assistant at Leichhardt Public School.^[3] In 1905 he played cricket with the Teachers Team in a match V Rosewood that year.^[4] In 1907 he moved to Glenroy Provisional School full time, having previously split his time between Glenroy and Rosewood.^[5] Rosewood and GlenRoy are in the vicinity of Tumbarumba, NSW.

He moved from Camperdown to Stanmore Public School in around 1916.

On 24 Nov 1917 he applied to become an Australian War Worker, to work in the UK as a labourer or navvy under a joint Australian government/ British government scheme to supply labour for the War effort in the UK. At the time he was single and living in Stanmore, NSW.

He was accepted and his agreement was signed on 14 Dec 1917. He was issued with Australian War Worker Badge No. 1615 and embarked on the SS "Borda" on 05 Jan 1918 from Adelaide, South Australia, arriving at Plymouth, England on 04 Mar 1918.

Pembroke started work as a labourer with Messrs. Trollope & Colls (Liverpool?) on 07 Mar 1918. On 08 Jun 1918 he advised that the heavy manual work was too much for him and he would like lighter work such as clerical. He was advised that he'd agreed to be a labourer and any change was up to the employer.

On 28 Dec 1918 he advised he'd been discharged by Trollope & Colls due to reducing staff. He was then unemployed until he could be repatriated. He had been trying for an early return to resume university studies, but had been told that medical repatriations had priority. In Jan 1919 he produced a medical certificate. The AIF Medical Officer examined him and considered his condition was fair, but he suffered from rheumatism and was not fit for heavy manual work and should be returned to Australia.

He returned to Australia on the SS "Eastern", departing Tilbury on 13 Mar 1919. His agreement was terminated due to ill-health on 17 May 1919 after disembarking in Sydney.

Pembroke married Grace E Elworthy in Petersham, NSW in 1921.

He was conferred with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of NSW in 1923.^[6]

In 1934, he was teacher at the Captain's Flat School, NSW.^[7]

He was farewelled from Candelo, NSW by the local Returned Soldiers' League in 1937. He had been teacher in Candelo for 2 years and very active in the League.^[8]

In 1938 he was appointed a Trustee of the War Memorial in Ulladulla, NSW.^[9]

Pembroke retired from teaching in 1942.^[10]

He and his wife and daughter were passengers in a car which crashed on the Clyde Mountain, NSW in 1954. He survived, but his wife and daughter did not.^[11][12]

He passed away in 1963 at Ulladulla, NSW.

Sources

1. ↑ Pembroke C. Malson in the 1881 England Census - Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 1558; Folio: 107; Page: 9; GSU roll: 1341375; Source Information: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1881 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.; 1881 British Isles Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Appreciation is expressed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for providing the 1881 England and Wales Census Index.; Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1881.
2. ↑ Pembroke C Masson in the 1891 England Census - Source Citation: The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 1205; Folio: 115; Page: 1; GSU roll: 6096315; Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1891 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.; Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1891.
3. ↑ Pembroke Constantine Masson B A in the New South Wales, Australia, Public Service Lists, 1858-1960 (1925) - Source Citation: State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia; Returns of the Colony; Series: NRS 1286; File: Public Service Lists (Blue Books); Reel: 3617; Source Information: Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Public Service Lists, 1858-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.; Original data: New South Wales Government. New South Wales Public Service Lists (Blue Books). Microfiche, 13 fiche [807–819]. State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia.
4. ↑ TEACHER'S D. A. v. ROSEWOOD. (1905, March 24). The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW : 1871 - 1938), p. 38. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article100661491
5. ↑ TRANSFERS. (1907, October 30). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), p. 6055. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221601402
6. ↑ THE UNIVERSITY. (1923, May 18). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16065036
7. ↑ Pembroke Constantin Sohoel Masson in the Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 (1934) - Source Information: Ancestry.com. Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.; Original data: Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll].
8. ↑ DIGGERS' FAREWELL. (1937, January 22). The Southern Record and Advertiser (Candelo, NSW : 1910 - 1938), p. 5. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133469608
9. ↑ Government Gazette Appointments and Employment (1938, November 25). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), p. 4530. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225068998
10. ↑ SUPERANNUATION ACT, 1916-1940.—PROCLAMATION. (1942, December 4). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), p. 3096. Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225126083
11. ↑ Second Death After Accident Near Braidwood (1954, June 10). Goulburn Evening Post (NSW : 1940 - 1954), p. 1 (Daily and Evening). Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103690083
12. ↑ Mountain Smash (1954, June 7). Goulburn Evening Post (NSW : 1940 - 1954), p. 1 (Daily and Evening). Retrieved September 5, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103698570

• WW1 Australian War Worker Service File - National Archives of Australia - MASSON Pembroke Constantine - Munitions Worker Number 1615 - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6447125

• Marriage - NSW BDM Marriage index - 15860/1921; MASSON PEMBROKE C; ELWORTHY GRACE E; PETERSHAM

• Death - NSW BDM Death index - MASSON PEMBROKE CONSTINE; 1600/1963; UNKNOWN ULLADULLA; UNKNOWN; NOWRA