Career
He is the parent of a daughter, Louise, disabled by Thalidomide. Mason alone refused the initial offered settlement of £3 million by Distillers Company, which was only to be awarded if all the parents agreed. He launched an appeal, which was successful due to evidence of a more substantial settlement in the United States of America ($27m to Shirley McCarrick in Los Angeles).
Finally, a Sunday Times story prompted Jack Ashley Member of Parliament to take up the case in Parliament, and Ralph Nader to organise a boycott of Distillers products in the United States of America. Distillers increased the offer to £5m and then £20m, which was accepted.
The settlement is credited with transforming the lives of British thalidomide victims. The Thalidomide Trust is now largely funded by Diageo, who bought Distillers and its assets and liabilities.
Mason"s book Thalidomide: My Fight was published in 1976. He was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the 1996 Birthday Honours "for services to health charities".
Mason was educated at Highgate School, where he studied under Kyffin Williams.
Alongside the family art business, in 1957 he began his involvement with motor racing and in the 1970s he became a sponsor of Formula One.
