Mr James Malson was Fazeley’s schoolmaster and the first Clerk of Fazeley Parish from 1894 until his death in 1904.
James moved to Fazeley from Rhymney, South Wales, around 1878 James and his wife Susannah soon became involved in village life. The rest of his life was to be centred in Coleshill Street. He and his wife arrived to become Schoolmaster and Schoolmistress of the Elementary School in Coleshill Street, which has since been demolished.
The first two of their seven children were born at 25, Coleshill Street, Fazeley, twins James Robert and Susannah Matilda in 1879. Sadly, James Robert died aged just 16 months old and his buried in the nearby St. Paul’s Churchyard.
Further children, Louisa Mary 1881, Frederick William 1882, Edith Gwendoline 1883, James Trevor 1887 and Gwladys Mabel 1888 were all born in Fazeley.
On becoming Clerk to Fazeley Parish Council on 31st December 1894, it was James who proposed Richard Tolson to become your first Chairman. He resigned from the Clerkship at a meeting held on 15th. April 1897 but continued his duties as an Overseer.
James remained associated with the Parish Council until 1900. It is recorded on 29th. March that year he was paid the princely sum of 16s 7d (82.5p in today’s money) for his duties as Overseer for the year!
By 31st March 1901, the date of the Census, James had become the Postmaster, Grocer & General Dealer in Coleshill Street. James and his family moved away from Fazeley to Astley Abbotts, Shropshire soon after the 1901 Census where he became Schoolmaster at the local Village School there.
Whilst walking home on Friday 18th December 1903 James collapsed in the street as a result of a cerebral haemorrhage. He was admitted to the Bridgnorth & South Shropshire Hospital where he died the following morning, Saturday 19th December 1903, aged just 51 years.
James is buried in St. Calixtus Churchyard, Astley Abbotts.
His wife, Susannah, lived on until 1940 and died in her hometown of Newport, South Wales on 19th April that year. All of their surviving children moved away, some even overseas.
Fazeley Town Council 