Warm tributes after death of one of Barnet’s “movers and shakers” from an era when retirees contributed so much to community affairs

Robin Marson, who dedicated much of his life to supporting the work of organisations, societies and charities which over the years have strengthened Barnet’s strong sense of community, has died at the age of 89.

Following his retirement in the early 1990s he took on what seemed to be an ever-expanding list of voluntary roles, spending his weekdays and evenings attending a constant round of meetings.

Such was the breadth of his interests that he was acknowledged by family, friends and colleagues to have been one of Barnet’s “movers and shakers” in an era when retirees were keen to volunteer and there was a flourishing civic life.

A roll call of the organisations which came to rely on Robin’s administrative skills included Barnet Parish Church, Barnet Museum, Thomas Watson Cottage Homes, The Hyde Foundation, Barnet Society and Barnet and East Barnet Rotary Club.

His wife Jasmine recalled that sometimes he might have a meeting every evening. Papers under his arms, he would dash off, his meal being kept warm above a simmering saucepan.

Born in 1936, he was the son of an Anglican priest who served Lord Middleton at Malton, North Yorkshire, and who later became Vicar of Granby and Rector of Elton on the Hill in the Vale of Belvoir. 

Robin was educated at Rossall School, Fleetwood, and was due to study theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge, but was unable to take up the place as his family could not afford the top-up fees.

For his national service he was sent to Hong Kong in 1954 with the Royal Artillery becoming a first and then second lieutenant.

After he was demobbed, he joined the Territorial Army in Nottingham and was promoted to lieutenant, enjoying the exercises and camaraderie. He rejoined the TA on moving to Barnet but had to resign after defence cutbacks.

On returning to civilian life, he started as a commercial trainee with the Stanton and Staveley iron and steel works, moving to the London office and rising to become UK field sales manager for the company which by then had become part of the Saint-Gobian group.

He met his wife Jasmine, whose family lived in Barnet, at her cousin’s wedding in 1958 and they got married in 1960 at Barnet Parish Church, which became an important part of their life.

Robin was soon enrolled as a treasurer for one of the church’s finance committees and he served two stints as church warden – an association which is commemorated to this day in Barnet Museum.

An ornate lantern – see above – which was no longer needed when lighting above the lectern at St John the Baptist was improved in 1999 was saved by Jasmine and the couple donated it to Barnet Museum in 2014.

Serving as volunteers at the museum was one of their last regular visits to Barnet after they moved to Codicote, near Welwyn, in 2009.

Mike Norhona, museum curator, praised Robin and Jasmine for their patient work over many years cataloguing and archiving the museum’s collection of photographs.

On retirement from Stanton and Staveley he ran a consultancy for three years but soon became closely involved in the civic life of Barnet.

He was appointed clerk to the trustees of Thomas Watson Cottage Homes in Leecroft, a post he held for 18 years, and later took up a similar role with trustees to the Hyde Foundation in Church Passage which he had joined earlier as a church warden.

He became a member of the Barnet and East Barnet Rotary Club in 1983, served on the committee, did a year as president, and later was awarded Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship.

In 1995 he was appointed treasurer of the Barnet Society, a post he held for seven years, later becoming a vice president.

A former Barnet Society colleague, vice president Dr Jenny Remfry, who worked with him during her time as chairman, paid this tribute:

“Robin was a great servant to the community and charitable organisations of Barnet. His experience and skills in administration were greatly appreciated.”

Jasmine said her husband loved his voluntary work and took great satisfaction from being able to contribute so much to the town of Barnet.

“He probably should have been a clergyman, like his father, but he never had any hard feelings over missing out on the chance to study theology at Cambridge.

“In those final months, when he was suffering from dementia, he found great comfort, perhaps not surprisingly, from holding his hymn book.

“A hymn book had been part of his life since he was a child. He grew up in a vicarage with a father who became a rector and a mother who played the church organ.”