Clarrie Mason
Clarrie was the manager of Mexborough Tech Old Boys football team when they played in the two Montagu Cup Finals in 1956 (losing finalists) and winners in 1957. As a physical education teacher at Mexborough Schofield Technical school from 1947, Clarrie formed the Mexborough Tech Old Boys football team in 1948 and continued to manage them into the 1960's. Players in these teams enjoyed their football and considered it a privilege playing for the Old Boys. It is testimony that the old boys from this era have maintained special close relationships with each other over the years, that they still meet every year for re-unions, originally at Mexborough Catholic Club and in recent years at the Pastures.
Clarrie also made a huge impact on sporting life in the Don & Dearne area. This has been summarised below thanks to Brian Hill.
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Mexborough Tech Old Boys football team Winners of Montagu Cup in 1957.
Back row (L to R): Mr. Alfred Dutton (Committee), Mr. Joe Lee (Committee), Tom Cook (trainer), stand in for Trevor King, Don Lancashire (captain), Bob Wakefield, Albert Hibbert, Brian Hill, Paul Fisher, Mr. King (Committee - Trevor King's Father), Mr. Ross (Treasurer).
Front row (L to R): Derek Ward, Jackie Thompson, Ken King, Clarrie Mason (Manager and Coach), Ken Lee, Brian Dutton.
Mexborough Tech Old Boys Montagu Cup Losing Finalist 1956
Trophies (L to R): Invitation Cup, Mexborough Association League Cup, Mexborough Challenge Cup and Mexborough Association Cup (League Top Four Play-Off).
Replica players trophies include Montagu Cup losing finalist.
Back row ( L to R): Tom Cook (trainer), Barry Crawford, Brian Hill, Albert Hibbert, Bob Wakefield, Paul Fisher, Mick Fallon.
Front row (L to R): Derek Ward, Jackie Thompson, Ken King, Ken Lee, Brian Dutton.
Missing player: Don Lancashire (captain)
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Mexborough Tech Old Boys footballers presentation to Clarrie Mason on his 90th birthday in 1995 at Mexborough Catholic Club.
Back row (L to R): Malcolm Pinder, Roy Massey, Ken Lee, Bob Wakefield, Geoff Church, Brian Dutton, Tom Richardson, John McCall, Brian Hill.
Front row (L to R): Don Lancashire, Brian Parks, Clarrie Mason, Ken King.
Clarrie Mason on his 90th birthday celebration with Mexborough Tech Old Boys in 1995 at Mexborough Catholic Club.
Back row(elevated) (L to R): Terry Connelly, Bob Wakefield, Brian Hill.
Third row (L to R): John McCall, Roy Massey, Brian Dutton, John Hartley, Ken King, Colin Parker, Don Lancashire, Tony Batty.
Second row (L to R): Malcolm Pinder, Chas Rowley, Brian Parks, Geoff Church, Tom Richardson, SR6, Walt West.
Front row (L to R): Frank Senior, Ken Lee, Clarrie Mason, Reg Scholey.
Clarrie Mason on his 80th birthday in 1985 with Mexborough Tech Old Boys at Mexborough Catholic Club.
Back row (L to R): Geoff Church, Malcom Pinder, David Humphries, Roy Shepherd, Colin Parker, Frank Senior, Tom Richardson, B8, Geoff Wademan, Frank Minto, Phil Rowley.
Middle row (L to R): M1, Brian Parks, Ken Lee, M4, Mick Fallon, Ken King, Brian Dutton, Terry Connelly, Walt West, Peter Turton, Henry Garner, Chas Rowley, Bob Wakefield, Martin Higgins.
Front row (L to R): Reg Scholey, John Hartley, George Shaw, Clarrie Mason, David Brocklehurst, Phil Bainbridge, John McCall.
"Summer school camps were a feature of Mexborough Schofield schooldays. Clarrie organised these each year where students and staff stayed together at schools in different parts of the country. In my years we stayed at Torquay in 1953, Portobello, Edinburgh in 1954 and Douglas, Isle of Man in 1955. Attached is a photo from the school camp at Torquay in 1953 of Clarrie with his class Form E1A of students of which I was a member." Brian Hill
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Lesley Harpham: Clarrie Mason took the boys for PE aft Mexborough Technical School but was involved in all social activities. I went to Torquay as well in 1962, we always had a great time. He taught us all how to ballroom dance and once a month we had a dance on Friday evenings. It was a good night as we got to dance with all the boys we fancied during the barn dance! He always wore white shorts and had a lovely brown tan all year round. He lived in Swinton with his mum and even walked around town in his shorts. He ran a boys club at Swinton Church. I worked at Montagu Hospital in the eighties in the Day Hospital and he used to bring his mum for treatment. Even then he was still in his shorts! A lovely lovely man. Lesley nee Chadburn
31st December 1938. Family photo. Credit: John McCall
Back row (left to right):
Syd Wood, George Mason, Bill Mason, Clarrie Mason, Jack Wood, Len Wood, Charlie Wood.
Front row (left to right):
Geoff Wood, Penny Mason, Gran & Grandad Wood, Harry Wood.
You will note Clarrie's profile states by 1947, Clarrie's Mother, who he lived with in Swinton, and his Father in Dundee, had both established second families, which eventually provided Clarrie with more brothers and sisters. Hence the photo shows 4 x Mason's and 6 x Woods.