John Mason, in conjunction with James Brown Ltd of Belfast, were the first removal company to use the Roll on – Roll off ferry service from Preston to Larne in the 1950s for overseas removals. The Empire Gaelic and the Empire Cedric were the ships used by John Mason for the shipment of articulated trailer vans.
A Roll on – Roll off service (or RoRo) is a shipping vessel designed to transport wheeled cargo i.e. vehicles.
John Mason first began appointing agents for overseas removals in 1926. This was also the year which wooden lift vans for rail transportation were bought by the company. One of the first removals abroad was a shipment from Liverpool to Stockholm, Sweden in the 1930s.
Below is an extract from the customer’s letter to John Mason’s office in Liverpool acknowledging the arrival of the furniture, circa 1930s.
‘……..It is all safely installed now. Messrs Arfstroms (referring to Arfstroms Express, John Mason’s overseas agent for Sweden at the time) were really excellent and decent people. They, and all of us, were very impressed by the beautiful packing and the excellent condition in which it all arrived. (A load of furniture from Germany from another company, which came by rail the day before, was almost completely destroyed by bad packing). There were no breakages in my effects and the barometer works as usual, no mercury split. To our surprise, the bedding was not at all damp, we actually used the beds the same night. The wireless is perfect too. It’s unbelievable knowing the load has come so far…….’
Before the advent of ISO Shipping Containers, John Mason International used its own shipping containers for trans-atlantic services.
Below is a John Mason shipping container on route to New York in 1968.
John Mason were responsible for shipping a car belonging to Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s.
To the left are pictures of the John Mason stand at the Liverpool Show in 1962. The Show was held in the Liverpool suburb of Wavertree, a short walk away from the John Mason offices at the time.
John Mason exhibited at this show on an annual basis from 1959 until 1965. The objective was to promote the overseas removals division of the company.
In 1955, John Mason were tasked to deliver Liverpool Cathedral’s new organ on behalf of Henry Willis & Sons, Organ Builders.
The photograph to the left shows new furniture from Canada being delivered by John Mason to resident of Canadian Trade Commissioner, Woolton Road, Liverpool. 1969.
1960s - John Mason truck collecting a household goods import from West Africa. One of the first international removals from Africa to be handled by the company.
Office Removal, Drury Lane, Liverpool. 1960s.
European Co-operation with Austrian firm: household removal Vienna to Liverpool, 1965.
In 1969, John Mason moved a Royal Mail Stage Coach, pictured here outside Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. In this photograph, the Stage Coach was en route to our warehouse to be packed for its overseas removal to Texas.