Like father, like son?

[Phoenix]

Thomas Henry Mason born 1854:
Name: MASON, Thomas Henry
Registration District: Help Maidstone
County: Kent
Year of Registration: 1854
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Mother's Maiden Name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume No: Help 2A
Page No: Help 404

married Emma Wall.

They are together on the 1911 census: Reference RG14PN2552 RG78PN86 RD27 SD5 ED9 SN252

and Thomas, a tailor's porter signs the form.

They are living at 24 Colegrove Road S8, with 2 sons & a daughter, Flo.

By 1913, mother and Flo are living with Thomas & Emma's son George. A letter to Emma asks after her and Flo.

There is no obvious trace of Thomas's death in that two year period. Nor can I find a subsquent death.

Thomas's father, another Thomas, deserted his wife Clara, who languished & died in Lambeth Workhouse. We can't fidn his death either.

George used to say that he went to Australia when he was young. This must have been before 1913, as his daughters were born in rapid succession from 1913 onwards.

Is it possible that Thomas went too? I can't spot him on fmp, but wonder whether any incoming lists have full names, whereas outgoing might just have initials?

[kiterunner]

When was George born?

[Phoenix]

George was born 1882. He was the eldest child. Flo (mistranscribed by the enumerator as Clarence in 1901!) was the youngest born c 1893.

Albert was in the army by 1911, though his papers must have been amongst the burnt records.All three sons served in WW1, in different regiments, but only William's survives.

[kiterunner]

There's a George Mason age 32, a painter, returning from Brisbane in July 1913, with wife Jane age 39. I don't suppose that's him? Or a carpenter returning from Brisbane in Aug 1913 on his own? (No age shown for that one)

[Phoenix]

George was variously photographer, film-maker, bioscope operator, cinema manager. (and ammunitions worker at his marriage in 1916)

His eldest daughter, Lillian. was born in the March quarter 1913.

[kiterunner]

I can't see George on a passenger list in 1911 / 1912.

[Phoenix]

He always gave the impression that he went out as a young man, but I wonder if the family went before 1890 (when fmp records start) and came back again becasue they didn't like it. Certainly his mother's brother, John Henry Wall (b Lambeth 1849) disappears after 1881 with his whole family.