Upon checking the records we find that “ Charles “ Mason was born on the 13th August 1855 at 9 Hoxton Market and he was baptised on the 2nd September 1855 at St Leonards Church, Shoreditch. This church is still standing today but due to some undetermined ongoing reason the crypt is closed. The gatehouse of St Leonards was once used to hold before post-mortem a victim of “ Jack The Ripper “. The parents of Charles Mason were Charles Mason & Amelia Pettit. Due to the fluid movements of the populace of that time the family of Charles Mason moved about quite a bit and the father of Charles Mason used variants of his own name as he and the family moved around the East End, until recently it was often printed that Charles Mason was born in ALDGATE, in fact he was born in ALDERSGATE, quite a different part of London albeit close.

Charles Mason had a number of siblings but his parents did not get married until the 16th August 1857 at St MATTHEWS Church, Bethnal Green. This was at one time the “ manor “ of the Kray twins who meted out east - end justice and a sort of peace or understanding was on the streets in those days. Charles Mason joined the army on the 26th Feb 1877 at Bow Street Police Court at 5:30pm. The powers that be decided to send him to Brecon to join the 2 / 24th. He was posted to the 2 / 24th on the 1st March 1877. Instead of giving his parents as next of kin he gave as his next of kin, “ Sister “ Elizabeth Schooley a 46-year-old nursing sister, there was an infinity with the Schooley family as evident in the letter (s) Pte Charles Mason had written. In one he indicates that he would get a picture taken and sent back home. To date this picture has not been seen at least by me and if indeed it does exist and I see a copy I will know instantly if this man is indeed a relative or not.

Charles Mason was put into “ B “ Coy 2/ 24th and of course it was this company in the main that formed the small garrison at Rorke's Drift on Jan 22nd 1879. Not much is known about what part of the action Pte Mason took part in, all we know was the fact he was on guard duty on Jan 22nd, I wish with hindsight a more definitive plan of where the men were that day came to pass, another thing I would have liked was INDIVIDUAL pictures of that little garrison so we would know what each soldier looked liked on that day. The picture that shows a number of survivors after the battle is missing quite a few due to a number being already back in the UK. I have tried to see on that picture if I could identify Pte Mason but have been unable to do so. He may already have been doing other duties when the picture was taken, he may well be one of those in that very picture.

Pte Mason left the army on the 26th Feb 1889 and gave as his intended place of residence the LION COFFEE TAVERN Brecon, those who have been to Brecon will know this now as an electrical shop, perhaps Charles Mason stayed here for a short time before making his way back to London? , Not much is known about the life of Charles Mason after this time. One census return shows a Charles Mason BC 1855 as a paper - hanger, my great grandfather was also a paper - hanger as was another member of my family. In 1998 the South African campaign medal of Pte Mason was sold and at one time was known to have been in America, just where it is now I cannot be certain. A large number of my family come from the area where Charles Mason was born and his physical description could easily match a number of my uncles, most who are dead now. August is a month which figures highly in my family for births, remember Pte Charles MASON, born on the 13th Aug 1855? Well I was born on the 13th August 1950 in Hackney, just a short bus-ride from 9 Hoxton Market where Pte Charles Mason was born. As he signed his letters home, “ Your affectionate brother FRED “ was it in fact Charles Mason who joined the army or was it his brother Alfred Mason who used his brothers details to lie about his age when joining the army? We may never know. I have still to locate the grave of Charles? Alfred MASON, should I therefore be looking for ALFRED`S grave rather than a grave of Charles? , All I know was the fact that 1284 Pte Charles Mason, defender of Rorke's Drift was “only “ on guard duty on Jan 22nd 1879 but he was most certainly there and I salute him and all the others who were there that fateful day.