I have several Stone mason ancestors - The Fishpools and the Paynes of Linton area 1800's to 1890's, and wonder if any one knows what they might have been working on in the area at that time.

Thanks Sandie

Stone mason / quarryman

There are a number of disused quarries on Gorsley Common....
Linton Quarry Gorsley, Ross-on-Wye Map ref SO 677 257

http://www.lintonpc-herefordshire.gov.uk/lintonquarry.pdf

Geological Magazine; May 1954; v. 91; no. 3; p. 227-237

The Gorsley limestone, previously correlated with the Aymestry limestone, is now thought to be equivalent to the Wenlock limestone. The lower Ludlow shales and Aymestry limestone have been cut out by an unconformity between the Gorsley and Dayia beds. The section in Linton quarry is described.

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Thanks Slowhands will check it out.

Happy New Year!
My Gt Grandfather William Badham was listed on census returns for Walford as a Mason.
I always imagined that this was doing nice things with stone!
Engraving and such like?
I often wondered how this would be as he was illiterate.
Now I wonder if he was a Quarryman.
Although I seem to remember one reference as Master Mason, but can't find my papers relating to that. (not a very efficient filing system!)
Did all quarrymen describe themselves as Masons?
On the 1901 census he is listed as retired.
Any thoughts would be appreciated
Janfran

In its purest form a mason is someone who works stone.

that can be anywhere on the process from extraction/quarrying, through to dressing/ fine stone work; although we tend to think of mason being a highly skilled craftsman perhaps doing the impressive stonework on churches or cathedrals.

see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemason

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Thanks slowhands, I found the link very interesting.
janfran