Mary Robson (1892 - 1956)

FATHER:
MOTHER:
SPOUSE:
OFFSPRING:
George Robson (b.1871)
Mary Parkin (b.1876)
Frank Masters (b.1893)
Frank Masters (b.1916)
Elsie Masters (b.1918)
John Masters (b.1920)
BIRTH: 19 December 1892 - 38 Thames Street, Tunstall, Sunderland
MARRIAGE: 26 February 1916 - Sunderland Registry Office
DEATH: 18 September 1956 - 3 Lilian Avenue, Ryhope, Sunderland
KNOWN ADDRESSES: 38 Thames Street, Tunstall, Sunderland - 1892
50 Queen Street, Ryhope, Sunderland - 1916
3 Lilian Avenue, Ryhope, Sunderland - 1956
BIOGRAPHY:
Mary Robson was born on 19 December 1893 in Tunstall, Sunderland. Her parents were George and Mary Robson (formerly Parkin).

On 30 January 1916 Mary gave birth to her first child (called Frank). A month later on 26 February she married the child's father (Frank Masters, who was possibly the nephew of Thomas Masters who witnessed her parents' wedding in 1893). She records her address as 50 Queen Street, Ryhope while he records his as 108 Railway Street, Ryhope. The wedding was in the Sunderland Register Office and was witnessed by Elsie Masters (Frank's younger sister) and Matthew Bateley who, as can be seen from the 1901 census return, was a neighbour of the family, living at 110 Railway Street, Ryhope. Frank's occupation on the marriage certificate is recorded as "Coal Miner (Putter)". All four managed to sign the register suggesting they could all read and write.

As well as Frank they had two further children; John and Elsie. Frank and Mary lived in Ryhope for all of their life and he worked at Ryhope Colliery.

Mary died at her home on 18 September 1956 in Ryhope, aged 62. She is described as the wife of Frank Masters, a colliery datal worker (below ground). Her son, Frank, of Mariville West, Ryhope was in attendance. There were four causes listed on the death certificate; Heart Block (Bundle Branch), Chronic Myocarditis, Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus, as certified by J. Gillan M.D.

Myocarditis is described in Webster's 1913 dictionary as

inflammation of the myocardium (the muscular tissue of the heart)

Hypertension is described as

a common disorder in which blood pressure remains abnormally high (a reading of 140/90 mm Hg or greater). When the blood flows through the vessels at a greater than normal force. High blood pressure strains the heart; harms the arteries; and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney problems.

Diabetes Mellitus is described as

....diabetes, caused by a relative or absolute deficiency of insulin and characterized by polyuria; "when doctors say `diabetes' they usually mean `diabetes mellitus'". A group of disorders in which there is a defect in the transfer of glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells, leading to abnormally high levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia).

Mary Masters is buried Ryhope Cemetary. The inscription reads:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
OUR DEAR MOTHER
MARY MASTERS
DIED 18 SEPT 1956 AGED 62 YEARS
ALSO OUR DEAR FATHER
FRANK MASTERS
DIED 28 SEPT 1960 AGED 66 YEARS

A disrepancy arises regarding her date of birth. Her marriage certificate shows her to be 22 in February 1916 and her death certificate shows her to be 62 when she died in September 1956. Both these facts mean that she would have to be born between September 1893 and February 1894. In fact, there were no births of any Mary Robsons in Sunderland with a father called George Robson within these dates. Given the location of the birth (in Tunstall, close to Ryhope) and the fact that the father is listed as George Robson, a coal miner (which is the same as on the marriage certificate), I am confident that this birth is the correct one and that, either deliberately or by accident, the year of her age was always recorded as being wrong by one year.

IMAGES: (click to enlarge)

Mary Robson's Birth Certificate

Mary in the 1901 census

Mary Robson's Marriage Certificate

Mary Robson-Masters

Mary Masters' Death Certificate

Mary Masters' gravestone in Ryhope Cemetary.

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