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Sorry I haven't been able to get back on here for a couple of days but we had visitors (unexpected!)
Many thanks for all your look ups for me. I'll have a good look at them when everyone has gone and see if I can make some sense of it all.
I think the only sensible thing to do now is to get hold of the marriage certificate for John and also his birth certificate and see if I can find any more info on them. Once again, many thanks for your help.

Pamela????

1901 census


Person: DONOVAN, Catherine Address: 142, Southbridge Road, Croydon

DONOVAN, Patrick Head Married M 41 1860 General Labourer
Cornwall VIEW
DONOVAN, Annie Wife Married F 42 1859
Wales VIEW
DONOVAN, Norah Daughter Single F 19 1882 Marine Stores Sorter
Croydon, Surrey VIEW
DONOVAN, Catherine Daughter Single F 15 1886
Croydon, Surrey

1891 census

Person: MASON, Alfred Address: 1, Essex Terrace, Terrace Road, Holdenhurst, Bournemouth

MASON, W Head Married M 31 1860 Furniture Packer
Hickling, Norfolk VIEW
MASON, Maria Wife Married F 30 1861 Laundress
Croydon, Surrey VIEW
MASON, Maria Daughter F 12 1879
Hickling, Norfolk VIEW
MASON, William Son M 10 1881
Hickling, Norfolk VIEW
MASON, Edith Daughter F 7 1884
Bournemouth, Hampshire VIEW
MASON, Alfred Son M 5 1886
Bournemouth, Hampshire VIEW
MASON, Lillian Daughter F 2 1889
Bournemouth, Hampshire VIEW
MASON, Ethel Daughter F 9 1882
Bournemouth, Hampshire VIEW
MASON, Alice Daughter F 7 1884
Bournemouth, Hampshire VIEW
MASON, Cecil Son M 3 1888
Bournemouth, Hampshire VIEW
MASON, Henry Son M 1 1890
Bournemouth, Hampshire

Think again.............. she is unlikely to have married at the age of TWELVE

1901 census


Person: MASON, Alfred H Address: 11, Cross Road, Croydon

MASON, William Head Married M 40 1861 Gardener
Yarmouth, Norfolk VIEW
MASON, Maria Wife Married F 39 1862 Laundress
Croydon VIEW
MASON, William S Son Single M 19 1882 Slater
Croydon VIEW
MASON, Alfred H Son M 14 1887 Carter
Bournemouth VIEW
MASON, Lilian M Daughter F 12 1889
Bournemouth

I have a birth for Catherine Donovan
Croydon 1895 2a 234
She is also on the 1911 census aged 15 so I don't think that the one you have suggested is correct for her. The son, Alfred, was born in 1918. They are a very confusing family so all of your help is great.

That's definitely the Catherine I'm looking for! The names come from their granddaughter who is certain about them.
I've tried Freebmd and can't find anything that matches.
I really do appreciate all your help.

1911 census

Person: MASON, Catherine Address: 39 Leslie Grove Croydon

BURGESS, Charles Fredrick Head Married M 41 1870 Chaffeur Thryborn Cambridge VIEW
BURGESS, Mary Ann Wife Married12 years F 35 1876 Lambourne Essex VIEW
BURGESS, Alfred John Son M 7 1904 School Croydon Surrey VIEW
BURGESS, Victor George Son M 3 1908 Croydon Surrey VIEW
BURGESS, Gladys Mary Daughter F 0 (5 MONTHS) 1911 Croydon Surrey VIEW
CHAMBERS, Lettice Boarder Widow F 90 1821 London VIEW
MASON, Alfred Henry Boarder Married3 years M 24 1887 Hatter Bournemouth Hants VIEW
MASON, Catherine Boarder Wife F 24 1887 Croydon VIEW
MASON, Alfred William Boarder M 2 1909 Croydon VIEW
MASON, Catherine Lily Boarder F 0 (6 MONTHS) 1911 Croydon

Marriages Sep 1907 (>99%)
COLEMAN John Thomas Croydon 2a 754a
DONOVAN Catherine Croydon 2a 754a
EDMONDS Agnes Edith E Croydon 2a 754a

Marriages Sep 1907 (>99%)
MASON Alfred Henry Croydon 2a 754

Hi Ann
I don't think it can be this one as Alfred GW married Eva Avery in 1916 and I'm sure that the marriage (and Alfred) I'm looking for married Catherine Donovan.
Many thanks for looking.

To find other Mason/Donovan marriages......use freebmd

Does your info about their names come from the birth cert of one of their children?

Name: Catherine Donovan
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 3
Birthplace: Croydon, Surrey
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Croydon
Sub-District: West Croydon
Parish: Croydon
County: Surrey

Catherine Donovan
England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
birth: 12 Jul 1896
christening: 16 Mar 1900 St. John, Walworth, Surrey, England
residence: 1896 Walworth, Surrey, England
parents:John Martin Donovan, Caroline


Katherine C Donovan
England and Wales Census, 1901
birth: 1893 Croydon, Surrey
census: 31 Mar 1901 Croydon, Surrey, England

Name: Alfred George William Mason
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 21 Apr 1889
Christening Place: Croydon, Surrey, England
Father's Name: Benjamin George Mason
Mother's Name: Mary Ann Mason
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C03853-0
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 1835913
Reference ID: pg248 cn1978

Hi Margee
That's one of the problems! I'm not sure if there are more Mason/Donovan marriages than the one I'm after.
The only other children apart from John that I can vouch for are:
Catherine b1925, Alfred b1918 and I think there was Ann.
John had a cousin Margaret Mason. Don't know if that helps.

There are 10 Mason births in Croydon with mother's maiden name Donovan between 1911-1934 although a big gap between 1923-1932.

Hi...I'm stuck almost at the first hurdle on this side of the family. I know that the names I'm looking for are Catherine Donovan and Alfred Mason and that they were probably both born in Croydon, Surrey.
Alfred was born about 1889 and Catherine c1895. What I can't find is a marriage for them. To add to the confusion there were quite a lot of Alfreds around then.
Any help would be much appreciated.
One of their children was John Mason b1920 Croydon which is definitely right.