John Fellowes Mather was born on 27 November 1892 in New Delaval, Northumberland. He migrated to Australia and was playing for Weston by 1912.
He enlisted in late 1915 and arrived in France a year later with the 35th Battalion with which he spent most of his war before returning in mid 1919. Interestingly while it is reported that he played games on leave he seems not to have played for the all-conquering 35th Battalion team. In a 1918 letter from the front to Weston Assistant-Secretary Lambert, Mathers uses the Geordie expression, “By marra, Aa wish Aa was back tae Weston, and had decent game of footba’.”
After returning he married Olive Dixon in 1919 in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales and resumed playing for Weston. After a long career as player and administrator with the club he returned to Newcastle upon Tyne in 1934 where he died on 12 January 1953 at the age of 60.
On 13 February 1953, the front page of The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder reported the death of this important local figure. The report is informative and suggests that he was a great worker for the club, even from overseas.
JACK MATHERS DEATH IN ENGLAND
Former Weston Resident. A former Coalfields citizen and sportsman, Mr. Jack Mather, recently died at Kenton, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the North of England, at the age of 60 years.
For many years the late Mr. Mather resided at Weston and was a deputy at Hebburn Colliery. He first settled in Weston in 1912 when he immediately joined the Weston Soccer club. He soon became a star in the inside left position. Despite his lack of inches, his astute ball control and clever positional play won him general admiration.
In 1915 when Weston failed to enter a team, Mather and the famous Bill Lambert joined West Wallsend and appeared in the Ellis and Gardiner Cup finals.
The late Mr. Mather then joined the A.I.F. and served with the Mining Division in France.
While on leave he played soccer with the Australian Army teams and with another Weston player, the late J. Gilmour, he received an offer to turn professional with the world famous. English club, Aston Villa. When peace was declared in 1918, they both went to Villa Park, but after several months training decided to return to Australia, where both continued their playing careers.
After several seasons Jack Mather retired and became an active official with the Weston Club. In the days when the Homestead was the Geordies’ home ground. He became treasurer, selector, delegate and committee for the club.
In 1934 he returned to his native Blyth in the County of Northumberland to take over his late father’s newsagency business. He was a keen soccer fan to the end; and only last year interviewed both Newcastle United and Sunderland Clubs with the aim of getting the teams to make a six weeks’ tour of Australia.
His wife, who survives him, was formerly Miss Olive Dixon, of Weston. His eldest son, Bill, who was educated at Cessnock High School, won the D.F.C; with the Royal Air Force. He was killed following a raid over northern Italy in 1942.
Another son, John, still lives at Blyth and will take over his late father’s business. For many years now, The Mathers at Blyth have acted as hosts to many Coalfielders who went across to England for a visit