Harriet Mason

Harriet Mason or Marianne Harriet Mason; Marianne H. Mason (19 February 1845 – 7 April 1932) was a song collector, botanical illustrator, plant collector, poor-law inspector, author.

Life

Mason was born in Marylebone in 1845.

At the age of four her family moved to Carmarthenshire. She heard songs there in Wales at Laugharne. In 1877 she was one of the first people to collect, record and publish traditional folk songs. Her book was called "Nursery Rhymes and Country Songs" and was intended for entertainment around the piano. Her book is said to have started a folk song revival. She was known to the folk song collectors Sabine Baring-Gould and Lucy Broadwood. Mason had houses in England and South Africa. She and her brother travelled widely and she visited Southern Rhodesia and Uganda.

Mason died at her home in Rondebosch in 1932. She left her plant collections to Kew Gardens. She had three plants named after her: Indigofera masoniae, Watsonia masoniae, and Crocosmia masoniae.