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John Masters was an 18th century merchant and politician.

Born in Newfoundland in 1691 at a place now called Winterton(1912 renamed) but then Silly Cove, in Trinity Bay. Same name as his father, John, who had come to Newfoundland as a fisherman for the cod. Unlike many contemporaries, he stayed on instead of returning to England at the end of the fishing season. After misadventures when the French attacked (the wars between England and France commencing 1689) the family came to Poole, Dorset in 1697 but John Snr returned to Newfoundland where he was murdered in a dispute with the natives.

To support the family of 5 children (John Jnr and 4 daughters), the widow established an ale house which was known as the Red Cow. John attended school in Wimborne until his thirteenth year when he was apprenticed to William Taverner, a captain involved in the Newfoundland/Poole trade.

John rose to the position of mate under Taverner then captain of another ship- the Frome, a Bristol ship. Trading in salmon, he amassed enough wealth to return to England (1740), leaving his partner - Michael Ballard - to manage.

Marrying Sarah, a daughter of William Taverner, his old employer, they lived at Greenwich, before moving to Poole with the ambition to be selected eventually as one of its MPs.

He refitted the Red Cow, his old family home and mother's business premises, into a mansion at the cost of £1500. Living in Poole, he energetically continued trading with Newfoundland, having ships for the transportation of supplies out of Poole and returning with goods from Newfoundland. The trade also involved supplying other countries as salt cod was a cheap nutritious food, especially where slaves were used on plantations.

An active spokesman for the traders of Poole, hoping to win support for when he stood for Parliament. He served as Mayor in 1748 and again in 1752.

Unsuccessful in bids for representing the town in Parliament, he died in London. His body was returned for burial at St James%27_Church,_Poole. His widow had a plaque inscribed and mounted in the church. When the church was demolished, being too derelict to maintain, and a new one completed in 1821, the plaque (like others) had been saved and was installed in the newer building.

Memorial

To the Memory of Mr JOHN MASTERS Mercht of this Town, Whose tender Affection to his Wife, Sincerity to his Friends, Liberality to the Poor & great Benevolence to All mankind render'd him Universally esteemed. This monument was erected by his sorrowful Relict as a a token of her Everlasting Love for him. He died in London June 20th A.D. 1755 In the 64th Year of his Age and lies buried near this place.

Salt Cod Trading Poole/Newfoundland

Dried_and_salted cod was an important business in the 18th century and many Poole merchants became rich from the trade (in today's values, multimillionaires). A way of preserving food so it could be transported long distances made it a desirable product, much in demand. A strong relationship between Poole and Newfoundland saw men sail out to work the fishing then preserving and merchants set up bases in both countries. The town of Poole benefited immensely from from the wealth created, in various businesses for the building of ships and their maintenance, and the money spent in the town. Many fine mansions were built in the town and surrounding countryside. Many of the merchant families married amongst themselves, so the names crop up in each other's family trees. For example, William Taverner's sister, Mary, married Samuel White (1655-1720), and, as stated above, daughter Sarah married John Masters and another daughter, Rachael, married Francis Lester. Their grandaughter, Amy, would marry George Garland