Captain John Mason came from Stirling in Scotland, arriving at Port Fairy in 1844. One year after James Atkinson obtained his Special Survey of the area. Thus his life covers all the history of Port Fairy when it was known as Belfast. He married Jane Murray in Portland in 1846 and they had 5 children, Jane died in 1855 and ten years later he married Ann Brown widow of Abijah Brown. They had no children and she died in 1887. In due course he became known as Captain Mason, he was not a sea captain, but captain of the Belfast Volunteers, a Rifle Corps formed in 1859 as a consequence of the Crimean War, and later reconstituted as the Belfast Volunteer Corps. For 40 years he displayed a remarkable versatility in his various occupations. Starting as an Innkeeper - he took over the Stag Inn from Captain Saunders in 1852, for 3 years. He then became a carpenter, stonemason, architect, estate agent honorary technical advisor to the Borough and treasurer to the Shire, and Savings Bank Secretary. They thought so well of John mason in Belfast that they elected him to the first Roads Board in 1853 and to the first Municipal Council in 1856. He was Chairman four times and with Councillors David Talbot and Joseph Whitehead designed the Council's Common Seal and the Motto "Commune Bonum".He was the first Mayor of the Borough in 1863 for a period of 7 weeks. He was responsible for the design, supervision or construction of many of the buildings in the town; most still standing today. He built the Rosebrook Bridge in 1855 and the first official Post Office ( a timber structure in Bank Street) in 1857, replacing it with a stone office in 1865. he built the Court house in 1859 and completed the breakwater between Rabbit Island and Griffith Island started by James Atkinson and John Griffith in 1849, also the first bridge over the Moyne river which connected with Battery Lane and the Bay. Among the many buildings associated with John Mason are Gobles Mill, Tynemouth Villa, 10-12 Princes Street, the Mechanics Institute, the Commercial Hotel, Yambuk and Mickey Bourke's Pub in Koroit. However, he did not build "Riverdale" in Gipps Street as is thought. He had a store and workshop on this site but sold the property in 1872 before the house was built. After an almost uninterrupted term as Councillor starting with the Municipality in 1856, John resigned from the Council in 1873. He well deserved the illuminated address they gave to him and the toast that they drank in the Bank Hotel champagne. Within the year he was working for the Borough as its engineer., surveyor, general supervisor and advisor of public works, simply as the man to whom all difficult problems were referred and at very little expense. John Mason was a great worker for his town and devoted himself unsparingly to the community. That his work was appreciated was shown by the way in which people rallied to his aid when, in the end, he found himself in financial difficulties and his reputation was challenge; arrested for embezzling from the Savings Bank of which he was the actuary in 1882. The money was repaid and the charges found not proven at his trial. He was an early member of the Loyal Prince Albert Lodge, and a founding member of the smaller Loyal Belfast Lodge in 1863. He was also a member of the Horticultural Society. Captain John Mason Died on the 14th of October 1891 (see also 62-04-046 photo)Sepia photograph on heavy cardStevenson & McNicoll photo. 108 Elizabeth Street Melbourne copies can be obtained at anytimedefence, captain, mason, carpenter, councillor, mayor

Graeme ANDERSON, Charlie CHRIMES, Lil GOSS, Ray LANDORF, Wally LOCKHART, John MAY, Jim PENALUNA, Max PENALUNA, Ray STEVENSON. Panel discussion on growing up in Clark StDuration 00:47:41families, built environment, clark street, graeme anderson, charlie 'dooley' chrimes, lilian 'lil' goss nee johnson, ray landorf, wally lockhart, john may, max penaluna, jim penaluna, ray stevenson

Black and white image - very faded - of miners from the New Red White and Blue Mine, and North Deborah Mine. Men are standing in front of large mullock heaps, sitting in front and standing on slope of mullock heap behind. Very large group of men dressed in working clothes. On top of image in biro New Red, White and Blue North Blue, 2 and 3 Blue, 1923 On back of image: written in biro are names of men. New Red White and Blue Consolidated Mining Co., North Red White and Blue No. 2 north of main shaft, No. 3 Blue, south of main shaft, Quart Hill, Adams Road. Names of miners written in back in pen: (no order given) New Red, White and Blue Consolidated Mining Co., North Red, White and Blue No 2 north of main shaft, No 3 Blue South of Main Shaft, Quartz Hill, Adams Road, (Golden Square). Mine managers: W Brimacombe, Fred Woods, Bob O'Brien, John Saunders, George Kinsgley, Jim Arthur, Bill Bren, Charle Cheetham, Tom Rowe (Snr), Grimshaw Hayes. Underground managers - shift bosses Bill Crosman, Steve Rothenberger, Tom Turner, Jim Chapman, Snowy Read, Jim Poole, J Champman, Bil Leggo, Gus Vlaminck, Biven Shelton, Ted Connors. (Photo) Phil Lanyon, Jack Plant, Jim Plant, Tom Turner, Tom Rowe (Sen) Bob O'Brien, Jim Buller, Arthur Webster, C. Neeman, Jack Craven, Peter Millar, Engine Driver Fred Watson, P Hopley, Jim Purdy, Jack Bottom, George Ross, Dave Rigbye, Gill Dupey, Fred Smith, Er Smith, Dick Plowright, Charlie Rickards, H. Stevenson, Sal Smith, Bill Harris, Frank Greig, C. Reid, Bill Leggo, Jim Poole, George Moore, W. Webb, Windy Hurst Shaft repairig: Harry Shelton, Bil Beveridge, Ted Porter, Joe ?, Harry Pollard, W. Polglase, Dave Lyke, Bill Del, W. Boland, Jack Hosking, Polshaw, Pomp Davidson, Jim Lesley, Dan Scully, Cliff Barton, George Barton, Tom Crowther, Bill ?, Jack Hosking, Ern Rushmeyer, George Hocking, W. Benbow, Joe Hocking, Jim Jose, Jack Jose, Herb Bill, Dick Arthur, Taff Hocking, Charlie Dean, pat Doyle, Peter Doyle, Bob Davey, Roger Trewarne, Wilf Watson, Bill Hatfield, Dick Lanyon, Hughie Atherton, Ashley Rigbye, John Purdy, Bill Watson, Jim Watson, Perce Johnson, Russ Champan, W. cNamara, W. Nievandt, E. Jobe, Bill Yates, Yate McBeth, Alex Eadie, Jim Eadie, Jorgensens, Leo Atherton, Ted Comners, 2 Battery: Mears, Bill Dewar, Dave Luke, Allan Arthur. Deutchman, Les Balle, Perce Balle, Bob Hunter, Ray Jackson, Cec Waterman, George Randall, Ted Porter, Yate McBeth, W. Lamont, D. Rigbye, J. Purdy Platman North Blue 14 years (7.7.1920 - 1.11.1940) Engine Drivers: Fred Watson, Jack Plant, Harry Hanson, Anthony Hall, Jack Botton, Harry Nicholas, John Teasdale.bendigo, mining, red white and blue

john delcarr, jimmy scholes, jock owen, cecil bennett, ron stevenson, alex punton, tom ross, dan richards, charlie hill, bill roots, jack castleman, clem trevoran, norm brown, pop scholes, bill mctaggart, jack dowsett, merbein township, brass band

bob smith, bob maynard, alan smith, g. williamson, david jenkins, bob (marty) martin, kevin stevenson, mervyn (jake) summerfield, bruce lang, ted cox, john (wacker) dorman, j. o'day, ron smythe, doug (misha) martin, brian (foxa) dorman, ken lindsay, ian griffiths, les thompson, ian hinks