David Marshall Mason

David Marshall Mason (7 December 1865 – 19 March 1945) was a Scottish Liberal politician, banker and businessman.

Mason was born at Campsie, near Glasgow, the eldest son of Stephen Mason, himself a Liberal MP and Martha Marshall. He was educated at Partick Academy and Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow, Craigmount in Edinburgh and then at Glasgow University. He also studied privately in Germany. He married Mary Crouse of Akron, Ohio who was the daughter of the Hon. George W. Crouse, formerly a Republican Member of Congress. They had two sons and five daughters.

Mason went into banking, becoming an Associate of the Institute of Bankers. He was described by The Times newspaper in 1910 as having banking and railways interests. Mason acquired a reputation as an expert on the economy, financial and trading questions. He was a founder member of chairman of the Executive Committee of the Sound Currency Association.

Mason first contested a Parliamentary seat for the Liberals at Glasgow, Tradeston at the 1906 general election where he also stood, again unsuccessfully, in January 1910. He was however returned in the December 1910 election as MP for Coventry when he gained the seat from the sitting Conservative MP, John Kenneth Foster. He held Coventry until 1918.Mason tended to be an opponent of the coalition government during the First World War pressing in Parliament for the government to explore opportunities for peacemaking and supporting votes which placed him in 'the pacifist minority'. He was often described as an Independent or Independent Liberal in the press and stood as an Independent at the 1918 general election. The coalition coupon was given to Edward Manville, a Conservative who was the victor in a contest involving five candidates. Like other Liberal MPs who had taken an unpopular stance over aspects of war policy, Mason was rejected by the electorate, coming fifth of the five candidates in the poll.

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