MASON, Olivia

1872 - 1970

Mabel Olivia Mason was born at Woolpit, Suffolk on 12 March 1872, youngest of the four daughters of John Mason (c1844-29 May 1872), the local grocer & draper, and his wife Olivia Mary née Charles (1843-1872), who married at Stowmarket, Suffolk on 6 March 1865. Both her parents and two of her sisters died shortly after her birth in 1872, John aged 28 and Olivia, sen. 29, Mary Ada 6 and Miriam 5, when the two surviving sisters, Mabel Olivia and her elder sister Jessie Ethel, went to live with their uncle, Edwin Cuckow (1838-17 April 1923) at High Street, Walton-cum-Felixstowe, Suffolk. In 1881, Olivia was a 9-year-old scholar, living at High Street, Walton with 41-year-old Edwin Cuckow, a grocer & draper, his 39-year-old wife Emma and their 19-year-old son Walter, together with Olivia's 12-year-old sister Jessie. As Olivia M. Mason, she studied at the Ipswich School of Science and Art passing her freehand examination in 1886, her drawing examinations in 1888 and winning a prize for drawing from life in 1893. In 1891 still living with their uncle, now a wine merchant at Stafford House, East View, Felixstowe with Mabel Olivia being described as a 19-year-old artist. Known as Olivia Mason, a painter in watercolour of flowers and landscapes and a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1934-1946 and a regular annual exhibitor showing some 48 works 1928-1946, in 1935 she exhibited from 20 Garrison Lane, Felixstowe, five works 'Tuddenham', 'Dedham, Essex', 'Snowdrops', 'The Gipping, near Bramford' and 'Mary, wife of Dr Graham Sleigh', in 1937 five works 'A Summer Bunch', 'Cottages at Wattisfield, Suffolk', 'Butt and Oyster Inn, Pin Mill', 'Barges at Pin Mill' and 'The Rectory, Gt Canfield, Essex'. Other works included in 1943 'On the Orwell', 'Chrysanthemums', 'Spring Flowers', 'The High House, Otley', 'A Suffolk Cornfield' and 'Barge at Pin Mill', in 1944 five works 'Autumn Blossoms', 'A Christmas Offering', 'The Orwell from Pin Mill', 'Tulips' and 'Clopton Church, and in 1946 ‘White Wells, Ilkley Moor’. She also exhibited at the Royal Academy from Gainsborough Cottage, Garrison Lane, Felixstowe in 1916 which was the address of the Misses Mason. In 1939, she and her sister Jessie, were still living at 20 Garrison Lane, Felixstowe when her date of birth is given as 12 March 1875, but by 1875 both her parents had died. Mabel Olivia Mason died at 20 Garrison Lane, Felixstowe on 15 April 1970, she was unmarried.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Gainsborough Cottage, Garrison Lane, Felixstowe, Suffolk
1916 1123 Jack

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Works by This Artist