Matthew Allison Hall was the son of Civil Engineer, Matthew Hall, and his wife Elizabeth.

Born in South Shields, in 1878, he joined the High School in 1887, but remained only a year. The reason for leaving is just shown as "fees", but his subsequent education is not known.

His older sister, Edith Hall, was a teacher at the High School, but in around 1914 she moved to British Columbia, Canada, living under her married surname of Bowyer.

Matthew signed up and served for 20 months with the 41st Company Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War.

A few years later, both Matthew and his brother, James Henry Hall, emigrated.

Initially, Matthew was in Montreal, where where he attested for military service (although his address was changed from Montreal to Ventura, California).

By 1930, Matthew was a naturalised American, living in Ventura with his brother James (who had applied for citizenship) and his now-divorced sister, Edith.

By 1942 they were running a general cement contracting service "Hall Bros", in Ventura, and Matthew registered for the American draft. Thsi was required by all men aged 45-65, but with Matthew aged 63, he was unlikely to be called up for war service.

Not much else is known about Matthew, other than he died in 1957 in Ventura.