Hugh Mason (1878-1928)
Hugh Mason (1878-1928)
1878 born in Lincolnshire
Educated at Elizabeth College in Guernsey,
Apprenticed as a turner at the North Eastern Marine Engineering Co Ltd.
1899 Married.
Started building motorcycles with Jack Hall combining Hall's expertise in cycle production with Mason's knowledge of the internal combustion engine.
1911 Rode a Matchless in the Senior TT race
Manager of Angus Sanderson and Co in 1911
Formed NUT to make motorcycles
1912 Rode in the Senior TT again on a Matchless .
1913 Captured a number of trophies
1913 First place in the Isle of Man TT race (junior class) on a NUT.
Post-WWI Mason wanted to resume development of sports machines, but was overruled by the board who favoured a more luxurious touring machine.
1920 the company diverted its investment away from motorcycle production altogether to concentrate on car manufacture; the motorcycling arm of the company went into liquidation.
The company was reorganised and reconstituted, and resumed production of motorcycles on the opposite bank of the Tyne near Swalwell under the name Hugh Mason and Co Ltd, NUT Works, Derwenthaugh.
By the end of 1923 Mason had severed his connection with NUT forever, and set up his own dealership in Newcastle as a representative for Matchless.
1923 Riding a Matchless, Mason made his last attempt on the TT. He was forced to retire from the Senior TT with mechanical trouble.
1928 Died in an accident on his motorcycle
See Also
Sources of Information
- Hugh Mason [1]