Bob Mason's secondary education was at Bede Collegiate Boys' School, Sunderland, from January, 1933, to July, 1940.

He took up a place at King's College, Newcastle, in September, 1940, but his studies were interrupted in June, 1941, when he did his war service. After five years, in September, 1946, Bob Mason resumed his studies and, in June, 1949, he was awarded his BA (Hons) in Art, which later in 1949 he converted to an MA.

He followed this with a post-graduate course to gain his Teaching Diploma, which he was awared (with a distintion in music) in June, 1950.

His first teaching post was at Firth Park Grammar School, Sheffield, in September, 1950, and at Easter, 1954, he moved back to the North-East and joined the staff of South Shields Grammar-Technical School for Boys.