Herbert John Thomas Mason & Helene Elizabeth McPhee
Husband
- Name: Herbert John Thomas Mason
- Born: 24 Oct 1908 in Milloo, VIC
- Parents: Herbert Mason and Annie Isabel Gladman
- Died: 31 Jul 1976
Marriage
- when: 21 Mar 1929
- where: Christ Church, Essendon, VIC
Wife
- Name: Helene Elizabeth McPhee, in 1929.
- Born: 10 Feb 1909 in Yan Yean, VIC
- parents: John Alexander McPhee & Gertrude Elizabeth Prowd
- Died: 27 Sep 2001
Children
- Herbert Graham Mason.
- Joyce Elizabeth Mason, b. 1932. She married (1) Kenneth William Taylor, married 1959, b. abt 1931. She married (2) John Taylor.
- Michael Francis Taylor
- Gregory Stephen Taylor
- David Taylor
- Mark Taylor
- Michael Francis Taylor
- Joan Isobel Mason, b. 1933. She married Graham Baillieu Stow, married 1950, b. 1932.
- Pattie Elaine Stow
- James Baillieu Stow
- Helene Rose Stow
- Vicki Maree Stow
- Luke Graham Thomas Stow
- Helen Irene Mason, b. 1935. She married (1) Arnold Percy Hayden, married 1957, b. 1933, d. 1980. She married (2) Max James Hunter, married 1970.
- Rodney James Hayden, b. 1963, d. 1991.
- Suzanne Elizabeth Hunter
- Rodney James Hayden, b. 1963, d. 1991.
- Margorie Olive Mason
- Allan Douglas Mason, b. 1938. He married (1) Betty Louise Marlow, married 1961, b. 1939. He married (2) Janice Warburton, married abt 1974.
- Rhonda Lee Mason
- Wayne Alan Mason
- Darren James Mason
- Joanne Gaye Mason
- Pamela Dawn Mason, b. 1940. She married John Stanley Wood.
- Peter James Wood
- Michale Craig Wood
- Leanne Mary Wood
- Robert John Wood
- Allison Louise Wood
- Gwenda Rose Mason, b. 1942. She married (1) Gordon Victor Williamson, married 1959, b. 1941. She married (2) Johannes Petrus Toonen, married 1987, b. 1944.
- Mark Victor Williamson
- Tracey Rose Williamson
- Paul Williamson
- Robert Henry Mason, b. 29 Sep 1943, d. 20 Jun 1993. He married Sandra Joyce Earney, married 1966, b. 1946.
- Peter Robert Mason
- Scott Alan Mason
- Rebecca Jade Elisha Mason
- Herbert Alec Mason
- Phillip Edward Mason, b. 28 Jun 1947. He married (1) Pamela Mae Pickering, married 1968, b. 1950. He married (2) Karren Ann Kerr, married 1977, b. 1954.
- Stewart Dean Mason
- Benjamin Mason
- Timothy Mason
- Julia Lauren Mason
- Ronald Arthur Mason, b. 29 Mar 1949. He married Elaine Beaumont Fletcher, married 1976, b. 1953.
- Carlie Tamara Mason
- Jordan Thomas Mason
- Stacie Catherine Mason
- John Evan Mason, b. 28 Apr 1951. He married Annette Margaret Bracher, married 1974, b. 1953, d. 25 Mar 1993.
- Natalie Ann Mason
- Wade Daniel Mason
Details
Herbert John Thomas Mason was born 24 Oct 1908 in the northern Victorian town of Milloo (another source listed his birthplace as Tennyson).
Helene Elizabeth McPhee was born on the 10th of February in 1909 in Yan Yean, Victoria. Her parents were John Alexander McPhee and Gertrude Elizabeth Prowd.
Helene was known as Nellie. Nellie attended Yan Yean Primary School with her brothers Max and Norman.
Herb and Nellie married on the 21st March 1929, at Christ Church, Essendon, on the 21st of March 1929. They were both 20 years old. Witnesses were Thomas Mason (his brother?) and G. E. McPhee (her mother?)
At the time of marriage, Herbert was living in Yearing, in the Victorian Yarra Vally, and working as a farmer.
They had a very busy life, having 13 children altogether (12 surviving), with most of them being born at home. They moved around a lot, having lived in Mt Eliza, Bittern, Ringwood, Traralgon, Thomastown and Heathcote. Despite all these children running around the house, Nellie was a placid person always with a smile.
Nellie had many talents - she was a very good tennis player and her greatest joy was not to ride side saddle but to hitch up her skirt and ride like a man! In her later life she went to the club every Wednesday and amazed the family with her creative abilities. She was a beautiful knitter and enjoyed playing the Black Hawk Waltz, which was played using only the black keys on the piano. She had a great love of sport, and woul dbe glued to the TV wathcing the cricekt or Melbourne playing footy.
Herb built most of the houses that they moved to, and Nellie would also give a hand, often with the heavy work.
Herbert died on the 31st July 1976, and is buried in Heathcote cemetery. After that, Nellie moved to Epping. In 1997 she was unable to look after herself and moved to Deloraine Nursing Home. A year later she had major stroke. She died on the 27th of September 2001. She is buried in Heathcote Cemetery in the same plot as her husband.
Trivia
- True or not? Pam's middle name Dawn came about as her mum Helene looked out the window just after Pam was born and saw the dawn of a new day.