William MASON

SEDBERGH SCHOOL ARCHIVES

(Courtesy of Sedbergh School Archive and Heritage Centre)

SEDBERGH SCHOOL REGISTER 1912

1981 – Mason, William: (Day Boy), son of E. Mason, Garsdale; born July 30th, 1898; left December, 1916. Great War:– Private, K.O. Yorks. Light Infantry. Died of wounds October 12th, 1917.

‘The Westmorland Gazette’ (17 November 1917)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

GARSDALE

A large congregation gathered in the Garsdale Foot Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday evening, when a memorial service for Pte. William Mason was conducted by Mr. W.H. Wilson, of Sedbergh. The text was “With Christ, which is far better.” Private Mason was one of the organists. He was educated at Sedbergh School, and took his Oxford and Cambridge Schools certificate a year ago, doing remarkably well in mathematics. His intention was to get into the Civil Service Engineering Department, and he would doubtless have succeeded had not the war claimed him. He was only in France a few days before he was wounded in the head and arm, from which he did not recover. A shy, modest lad, fond of books; a student with an excellent memory and irreproachable character

SEDBERGH SCHOOL ARCHIVES

(Courtesy of Sedbergh School Archive and Heritage Centre)

The Sedberghian. VOL. XXXVIII. NO. 6. DECEMBER, 1917 – Obituary Notes.

WILLIAM MASON

Private K.O.Y.L.I.

(Died in France, October 12th, 1917).

Mason came as a day-boy from Garsdale in September, 1912. He was placed in the First form, and when he left in December, 1916, he had climbed to the Upper VIth, a rare feat to surmount so many steps in four years! It showed him a possessor of those qualities of grit and perseverance shared by the families of Batty and Inman and other Sedberghians from that valley, where the memory of old John Dawson is still held in reverence. After joining the army in February, this year, he trained at Hornsea Camp and Chelmsford, going out to France in September. It was only his second day in the trenches, October 9th, when he was wounded during an attack under heavy fire, and he died three days later in hospital. He was only 19 last July, and the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Mason, of Birkrigg Farm, to whom we offer our deep sympathy.

‘The Westmorland Gazette’ (12 October 1918)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

MASON – In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. William Mason, died from wounds, October 12th, 1917; buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, France, aged 19 years.

With Christ, which is far, far better.

Sadly missed by father, mother, and George. Birkrigg, Garsdale.

‘The Westmorland Gazette’ (18 October 1919)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

MASON – In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. William Mason, who died in France, October 12th, 1917.

If thou shouldst call me to resign,
What most I prize, it ne’er was mine;
We only yield Thee what was thine,
Thy will be done.

Birkrigg, Garsdale.

‘The Westmorland Gazette’ (20 December 1919)

(Kindly supplied by Sedbergh & District History Society)

UNVEILING OF MEMORIAL TABLET

A service was held in the Sedbergh Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday evening on the occasion of the unveiling of a tablet in the chapel to the memory of the men of the Sedbergh Wesleyan circuit who made the great sacrifice during the war. The tablet was unveiled by the superintendent minister, Rev. C.H. Stanley, in the presence of a crowded congregation, and he preached a sermon appropriate to the occasion. Suitable hymns were sung, and the choir sang the chorus, ‘No shadows yonder,’ from Gaul’s ‘Holy City.’ Mrs. Stanley sang ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation,’ a solo from the same work. The Dead March in ‘Saul’ was played by Mr. H.C. Trotter. The tablet is of white marble, and bears the following inscription:–‘Roll of heroes in the great war, 1914-1919. Sedbergh Wesleyan circuit. To the glory of God and in grateful memory of William E. Armer, 7th Border Regt.; Fred Bushby, Royal Engineers; Stephen E. Handley, 2nd South Staffs.; Thomas E. Haresnape, Royal Engineers; William Mason, 13th Batt. King’s Own Yorkshires; George Middleton, 4th Australian Pioneers; John Nelson, Royal Scots; Walter Sanderson, Duke of Wellington’s; Robert E. Seddon, 11th Border Regt.; John Winn, 16th Lancashire Fusiliers. Who have given their lives for their country. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.