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The Sailors
Amateur British & Irish Yachtsmen Before World War One
Frank H. Mason
1876 - 1965
A marine painter in oil water-colour, etcher, illustrator and poster designer. Born at Seaton Carew, C. Durham, he was educated at H.M.S. Conway and served at sea for some time. Later he was engaged in engineering and ship building at Leeds and Hartlepool. Travelled extensively abroad and painted many marine and coastal subjects, often in water-colour, exhibiting at the RA from 1900. Served as a Lieutenant in the RNVR during First World War in the North Sea and Egypt.
He was elected a Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1904, and served in Directorate of Camouflage, Naval Division, in World War II. He became a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in 1929, and lived variously in Birmingham 1893, Taunton, Somerset in 1897, Scarborough, Yorks 1900 and London 1930. On moving to Scarborough, he studied painting under Albert Strange. He was a member of the Staithes group of artists which flourished between 1894 and 1909. His works were purchased by Lloyds of London and the Imperial War Museum. He exhibited at the Royal Society of Marine Artists in 1961, and is represented in many private and public collections both in England and abroad. He died on 25th February 1965.
In 1973, an exhibition of his work was held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich and examples of his paintings may be seen in the National Maritime Museum, The Dundee Art Gallery and The Grey Art Gallery, Hartlepool.
Designed posters for the railways, advertising Yorkshire, and lived for many years in Scarborough. Elected to the RI in 1929, he is represented in several public collections including Cartwright Hall, Bradford, Dundee City Art Gallery, Gray Art Gallery Hartlepoole.
From the Antique Fine Art.com site and from J. Collins and Son.