Ipswich Journal – Sat 14th Oct 1893
Death of Mr George Mason At Ipswich
Another link in the chain of busy, shrewd, far-seeing men who in their day played a prominent part in making Ipswich the prosperous commercial centre it is to-day, has been suddenly snapped, and that so suddenly that the inhabitants of the town could hardly bring themselves to believe the sad news. It will be some time before they are able to adequately realise the extent of the loss which the town has suffered – time will only serve to intensify the loss. Ald. Geo. Mason was so active and useful in all matters connected with the official life of Ipswich, that he will be sorely missed by his colleagues, many of whom long ago learned to turn to him for counsel and guidance in movements and undertakings of far-reaching significance and importance. Pre-eminently successful in his private commercial enterprises, which were of considerable magnitude, he at all time at the course of his long public life, brought the same judgment and rare ability to bear for the benefit of his native town, of which he was very proud and which he dearly loved. He played a very prominent part during the last half-century in the public improvements and movements which have marked that important and momentous period in the history of the old Borough, whose inhabitants owe him a debt of gratitude which it would be difficult adequately to gauge. As we have already hinted, the deceased gentleman was a native of Ipswich, he was born in 1812, and thus had spent a long and honourable life in the midst of people who are to-day mourning his death. His experience of municipal affairs was a rich and varied one, and from the time he first entered the Council, some forty years ago, he gave earnest and zealous attention to the work incidental to the requirements of a growing an prosperous locality. To the very last he was to be seen in his place on the Aldermanic Bench on the occasions of the meetings of the Town Council. His health, indeed, had of late been remarkably good, his great age considered. Many will well remember that some ten years ago he had a very severe affliction, which brought him so low that his family and friends feared that his end had come. He was, however, spared to his family and to the town, and on his recovery he continued to devote his best energies to commercial life of a private and public character. He was exceedingly well and strong on the morning of Wednesday, the day of his lamented decease at his charming residence, Broadwater, Belstead Road. He rose at the usual hour, and partook of breakfast, scanned the newspaper and read his letters, and was about to proceed to his office in the town when he was observed to suddenly stagger from what proved to be an apoplectic seizure. The coachman speedily procured medical aid, and Mr. G.H.Hetherington, the family attendant, was soon in attendance, but in spite of all that medical aid could do, in about an hour of the seizure Mr. Mason passed peacefully to his rest.
The deceased gentleman was the son of Mr Geo. Mason, who carried on business in Ipswich for many years as a building and surveyor. The son was education at the school kept by his uncle, the Rev. Thomas Mason, in Carr Street. Soon after leaving scholastic work Mr.Mason commenced a professional career as an architect. Next he entered upon business as an importer of timber, with extensive premises in College Street. It was, however, as a seed-crushing merchant that Mr Mason was so well and widely known, and the high quality of the articles he produced, secured him extensive patronage. The colossal building in which he carried on his extensive trade are familiar to all who have passed down St. Peter’s Street, and the machinery with which they are — up are of the most modern description. He also established Portland cement works at Waldringfield, and these developed greatly under his guidance indeed, in all commercial undertakings he was eminently successful, possessing as he did rare business qualities. He was a remarkably keen, clear-headed, far-sighted gentleman, and was always considered to be one of – perhaps the best- business man in Ipswich. The latest venture with which he was ultimately concerned was the erection of Paper Mills on the New Cut, projected and inaugurated by Mr G. Calver Mason and his brother, Mr. Herbert Mason, their father rendering very valuable assistance and advice in originating and establishing the enterprise. In thus promoting large and successful business undertakings, he not simply established his own private position, but he did good service to the town and district, and it is not difficult to understand how valuable were the public services he was able and willing to render.
With respect to his municipal life, Mr Mason entered the Council for the Bridge Ward in November 1854. There were three candidates for the two seats. The late Mr William Elliston headed the poll with 173 votes; Mr Mason came next with 133, the third candidate, Mr W. Barney receiving 58 votes. Mr Mason headed the poll at a contested election in 1857, and re-election followed without opposition until November 1872, when Mr B.P. Grimsey became a candidate in the Conservative interest. The late Mr Wm. Roe also ran in the Conservative interest, independently of Mr Grimsey. Mr John May was the Liberal Candidate with Mr Mason, and the polling ended as follows:-
Mr B.P. Grimsey (C ) ……….. 598
Mr John May (L) ……………… 317
Mr. George Mason (L) ……… 298
Mr W. Roe………………………….173
The Council could ill afford to lose the services of such a man as Mr. Mason, who, during the years he had been a member of the Corporate body, had shown himself in every way worthy of the confidence which the electors of the Bridge Ward had reposed in him. Accordingly a vacancy occurring on the Aldermanic bench, all eyes were turned to Mr Mason, who in August 1873 was appointed an Alderman. He filled the office of Mayor in 1875-6 in a manner which earned the warm acknowledgements of the Council and of the inhabitants of the town generally. The year of office was in some respects an eventful one, and it was during this period that the attention of the Council was earnestly engaged for a time upon the subject of the purchase of the Gas Works. The remarks of some of the opponents to the scheme in reference to the electric light superseding gas seemed, read in the light of what has transpired in the interval, almost prophetic, but the streets are not at present generally lighted by the then dreaded substitute. Ald. Mason has held his seat on the Aldermanic Bench ever since, and at the time of his death was the senior Alderman, though not the father of the municipal body, Ald. Dr. Mills being in the position to claim that distinction. There was one sad event during Ald.Mason’s mayoralty which the town is not likely very soon to forget; we allude to the death of Mr John Paterson Cobbold, who had been elected to represent the borough in Parliament.
Ald. Mason not simply served his fellow-townsmen faithfully and well on the Town Council, but he was also most active as a member of the Dock Commission: He was, indeed , for many years Chairman of that body. Here, again, his high business qualifications stood the town and the dock in good stead. He worked earnestly and patiently to bring about various improvements in the docks and the river. He exercised his customary caution and judgment, and happily was spared long enough to see part of least of his pet scheme carried into effect. To his credit, as also t the honour of others who worked so zealously with him in that and other projects connected with the dock, it may be said that what has been thus far so satisfactorily carried out may be viewed as the beginning of much better things so far as the river is concerned, so that the Orwell may be able to keep pace with growing Ipswich in respect to admitting vessels of greater tonnage than area at the present time. Much might be written in respect to the development of Ipswich in the ears which have passed by since the gentleman now deceased commenced to take a prominent part in Municipal life. Suffice it to say that Ald.Mason, in all that he did in connection with these undertakings, was actuated by one desire, and that was to do his best in the interests of the inhabitants, and people of all classes will greatly mourn their loss. The intelligence of his death came as a kind of shock to the members of the Town Council on Wednesday morning, when a special meeting was about to be held. The Mayor (R.D.Fraser, Esq) made feeling and appropriate allusion to the loss which the Corporation and the town had sustained by the death of the worthy Alderman. The Council will, in due course, pass a resolution of sympathy with the feelings of the residents of the borough generally.
Mr Mason married first in 1839, the daughter of Mr William Calver, of Ipswich; his second wife, whom he wedded in 1878, was Miss Ellen Forster White, daughter of the Rev. T. White, rector of Rossdroit, county Wexford, who survives. The family is composed of three sons and two daughters, namely, Mr George Calver Mason, Mr Frank W. Mason and Mr Herbert Mason, all of whom are engaged in commercial enterprise in Ipswich; the elder daughter is married to the Rev.S.W.Stagg, rector of Kirby-le-Soken, in the Tendring Hundred: the younger daughter is unmarried. The interment will take place at Belstead Churchyard at 2.15 on Monday, after a previous service at St. Peter’s Church Ipswich at 1.45.
