John Mason
| First name | John |
|---|---|
| Last name | Mason |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 2/1/2014 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1920 |
| Submitted by | Janice Nugent |
Story
My father John Simm Mason migrated to Australia after the war with his father (Charles) mother (Agnes nee Stephenson) and older brother Charles. They came to start what they thought would be a better life after the devastation of the war. They chose Australia because my grandmother had a sister living here already.
They came by ship and paid their own fare for the journey. My grandfather got a job in the coal mines in Ipswich, Qld. My father eventually got a job in the mines also, and my Uncle joined the airforce. My father left school aged 15 to start work and he attended Technical College in his 20’s to obtain his Mine Manager’s Certificate. He became a Mine Manager at age 29.
My grandmother corresponded regularly with her family in England but they never returned to England, even for a visit. They were very happy with their new life here. My father and mother married in 1942 and I have two older sisters Lorraine and Lynette. My father passed away in 1999. My parents lived most of their married life in Ipswich, only leaving for short periods for my father’s work.