The Mason Family Farm

Rosewood History

Richard MASON and Emily HENSHAW

Name: Richard MASON
Occupation: Timber-getter, Railway Worker, Farmer
Birth: 1835 Olveston, Gloucestershire, England
Baptism: 4th July 1841 Olveston, Gloucestershire, England
Immigration: 20th October 1857, the Boanerges arrived Sydney, NSW
Land Purchase: 13th July 1869, Portion 312 (40 acres pastoral Walloon)  See Land Purchase
Land Purchase: 5th October 1874, Portion 653 (141 acres first class pastoral, Walloon)  See Land Purchase
Land: 3rd February 1883,  (141a Walloon, Certificate for fulfilment of conditions was granted)
Death: 14th March 1908, Rosewood, Queensland aged 73 years
Burial: 19th March 1908, Tallegalla Pioneer Cemetery
Religion: Congregational
Father: John MASON
Mother: Charlotte GOATER

Spouse: Emily HENSHAW
Birth: 27th October 1839 Glasbury St Peter, Breconshire, Wales
Immigration: 20th October, 1857  Boanerges arrived Sydney, NSW
Death: 19th July, 1907 Rosewood, Queensland aged 67 years
Buried: 20th July 1907, Tallegalla Pioneer Cemetery
Religion: Congregational
Father: Thomas HENSHAW
Mother: Mary MASON
Marriage: 15th June 1857, St James, Bristol, England.

Children: 7
William Henshaw MASON (1858-1942)
John Edwin MASON (1860-1931) = Annie Sophia COLLETT
Charlotte Mary Henshaw MASON (1862-1863)
Richard Emanuel MASON (1866-1933) = Emily WARNER
Emma Mary MASON (1868-1868)
Alice Emma MASON (1869-1930) = Charles RIDSDALE
Charles Jasper MASON (1871-1951) = Laura Kate BLAKE

Can you imagine being aged 21 and 18 and only been married for one month before leaving your loved ones and homeland and boarding a ship for a 99 day journey into an uncertain future in a strange new colony? Richard and Emily Mason did just that. Their ship, the Boanerges, left Liverpool on 15th July 1857 for Sydney under Captain William Skeene. On board were 475 Government immigrants: 70 married couples, 109 married men, 121 single women, 48 boys and 58 girls. There was also cargo on board worth more than £7,000.

On arrival, because there was scarlet fever on board, the ship had to enter quarantine. When the women from the Boanerges were taken out of quarantine and into Sydney, the vessel which took them down the harbour was also carrying the bodies of those who had perished in the wreck of the Catherine Adamson. The women’s feelings about that experience can only be imagined; deflated and sad, but lucky perhaps?

Richard’s occupation was stated to be an Agricultural Labourer. Both could read and write and their religion was documented as Church of England.

After the death of their third child they made their way to Queensland, probably by coastal steamer. Richard worked as a timber-getter. A Cedar licence was granted to Richard Mason of Greenmount, Upper Mary (near Maryborough) in August 1862, April 1863 and January 1864 (half yearly).

Richard moved his family south to Ipswich where they lived in Flint Street, North Ipswich. He found employment working on the railway line between Ipswich and Bigges’ Camp. When Lady Bowen performed the “cutting the turf” ceremony for the construction of the line on 25 February, 1864, Richard wheeled the “first sod” away in a wheel barrow. He later worked for the railway’s contractors Messrs. Peto, Brassey and Betts at various places along the route. 

He selected his land in newly opened scrub in 1869. The family was among Rosewood’s earliest settlers and Richard was one of the first farmers to cultivate and grow crops. A small cottage was erected on his land which was near the present day roundabout on John Street. (Lot 312, 40 acres).

Richard’s experience with tree felling would have been invaluable, not only for clearing his own selection, but for when he helped to clear a thoroughfare for the main street. In 1874 he selected another 141acres.

Richard was on the founding committees of several community organisations working towards the development of the district e.g. in 1870 he was on the committee formed to collect subscriptions and make all the necessary arrangements for building a school house and teacher’s residence. His son Richard was one of the students enrolled on the opening day of the Rosewood Gate school in 1875.

In early 1876 a timber bridge was constructed near his farm. It became known as Mason’s Bridge after the pioneering family. The dam built on his property and was known locally as Mason’s Dam.

Richard was a successful farmer. He entered his produce in the local Show winning prizes for “best eating pumpkin” and “best ham”. In 1878, during a hot, dry season, he cultivated twenty acres of corn and about an acre of oats.

In order to obtain a plentiful supply of splendid water, in September 1885, Richard sank a shaft to a depth of 23ft. At about 20ft deep he had to cut through a seam of coal 3ft. thick. However, nothing more was done to in regards to the coal.

Richard’s involvement in the community continued with him becoming the vice captain and treasurer of the Rosewood Rifle Club in 1897 as well as being a member (D.G.M.) of the P.A.F.S.O.A. lodge for 27 years.

Emily died aged 67 years in 1907.

The friends of Mr. Richard Mason of Rosewood, will regret to hear of the death of his wife which took place at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon. The deceased was a very old and respected resident of Rosewood. They had celebrated their golden wedding about thre weeks ago. She leaves a husband, four sons and one daughter to mourn their loss. One of the sons, Mr. Richard Mason, is employed in the railway workshops at North Ipswich. The funeral will take place at 2 o’clock this afternoon, at the Tallegalla Cemetery. [1]

Richard passed away the following year in 1908 aged 73.

Mr. Richard Mason, one of the oldest residents, and indeed a pioneer of the Rosewood district, passed away at his residence, on Saturday evening last after a few weeks’ illness. Mr. Mason was one of the first trustees of the Rosewood Farmers’ Club and at one time a consistent exhibitor at the shows. He was of a cheery, genial disposition, a good neighbour always willing to do a kind turn. The mortal remains were interred at Tallegalla today, the Rev. A. E. West (who came from Brisbane) performing the last sad rites. Mrs Mason predeceased her husband some months ago. The family are all grown up. [2]

© Jane Schy, 2024

Sources:
[1] Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser, Saturday 20 July 1907, page 13
[2] Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser, Thursday 19 March 1908, page 5
Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
1841, 1851 England Census
Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011
New South Wales, Australia, Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828-1896
Queensland Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
Ipswich Cemetery Records