The past in pictures.

John Mason first began appointing agents for overseas removals in 1926.

This was also the year in 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 …’

Photo: packing perfection - a crate packed by John Mason, detined for Sweden, together with part of the customer's letter, as quoted below.