Sir Arthur Marshall
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Gregory George Marshall, OBE
, (4 December 1903 – 16 March 2007) was a British aviation pioneer and businessman, chairman of Marshall Aerospace
between 1942 and 1989.
, England and was educated at the Perse School in Cambridge and at Tonbridge School
in Kent, completing his education at Jesus College, Cambridge
, in 1922, where he earned a degree in engineering.
He learned to fly in 1928, and shortly thereafter created an airstrip near his family's Cambridge home, which by 1929 had turned into a full-fledged airfield. Six years later, Marshall and his father, David, bought the land where the present Cambridge Airport
now stands and started Marshall Aerospace.
During World War II, Marshall's played a key role in training over 20,000 pilots and flying instructors.
Under Sir Arthur's guidance, the firm became the UK's largest aircraft repairer, fixing or converting 5,000 planes during the war. Over the years, such major airplane manufacturers as De Havilland
, Bristol
, Vickers
and English Electric
have entrusted Marshall's with the servicing of their aircraft.
Marshall's company built under subcontract the famous droop nose
for Concorde
.
in Paris, a team which was depicted in the 1981 Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire
. He helped to stage the "Chariots of Fire" charity run through Cambridge for a trophy named in his honour.
On the death of James Stillman Rockefeller
in August 2004 he became the oldest living Olympic athlete.
To commemorate Sir Arthur's lifelong interest in aviation, the Marshall family donated a trophy to the Air Training Corps to be presented to "The Most Improved Squadron in the ATC over a Protracted Period of Time".
1296 (Turiff) Squadron won the inaugural Trophy in 2008.
78 (Wembley) Squadron Air Training Corps won the Sir Arthur Marshall Trophy in 2009.
2227 (Mid Gwendraeth) Squadron won the Sir Arthur Marshall trophy in 2010.
2160 (Sleaford) Squadron won the Sir Arthur Marshall Trophy in 2011.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (4 December 1903 – 16 March 2007) was a British aviation pioneer and businessman, chairman of Marshall Aerospace
Marshall Aerospace
The Marshall companies have been internationally associated with aerospace engineering for nearly a century. The company employs over 1,800 people and is based on an site with of covered hangar space...
between 1942 and 1989.
Early life and education
Arthur Marshall was born in CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England and was educated at the Perse School in Cambridge and at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
in Kent, completing his education at Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, in 1922, where he earned a degree in engineering.
He learned to fly in 1928, and shortly thereafter created an airstrip near his family's Cambridge home, which by 1929 had turned into a full-fledged airfield. Six years later, Marshall and his father, David, bought the land where the present Cambridge Airport
Cambridge Airport
Cambridge Airport is a small regional airport in South Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the eastern outskirts of Cambridge, south of Newmarket Road and west of the village of Teversham, from the centre of Cambridge and approximately from London.Opened in 1938, when it replaced the old...
now stands and started Marshall Aerospace.
During World War II, Marshall's played a key role in training over 20,000 pilots and flying instructors.
Under Sir Arthur's guidance, the firm became the UK's largest aircraft repairer, fixing or converting 5,000 planes during the war. Over the years, such major airplane manufacturers as De Havilland
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
, Bristol
Bristol Aeroplane Company
The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
, Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
and English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
have entrusted Marshall's with the servicing of their aircraft.
Marshall's company built under subcontract the famous droop nose
Droop-nose
The Droop Nose was a distinctive feature of both Concorde, the Moxon and the Tu-144. When these aircraft were in service, the pilot would lower the nose to improve visibility of the runway and taxiways. When in flight, the nose would be raised. Concorde also had a moving visor that would slide into...
for Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
.
Sport
In addition to his interest in aeronautics, Sir Arthur also became a gifted sportsman early in his life, earning a place on the British team at the 1924 Olympics1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
in Paris, a team which was depicted in the 1981 Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
. He helped to stage the "Chariots of Fire" charity run through Cambridge for a trophy named in his honour.
OBE
Marshall was awarded an OBE in 1948, and was knighted in 1974. In 1931, he married Rosemary Dimsdale. The couple had three children, including Michael Marshall, who took over the running of the company upon Sir Arthur's retirement. Lady Marshall died on 24 June 1988.On the death of James Stillman Rockefeller
James Stillman Rockefeller
James Stillman Rockefeller was a member of the prominent U.S. Rockefeller family.-Personal life:A paternal grandson of William Rockefeller, his maternal grandfather James Stillman and uncle James Alexander Stillman served as president of the National City Bank of New York, now Citibank...
in August 2004 he became the oldest living Olympic athlete.
Death
He died in the early hours of 16 March 2007 at his home near Linton in Cambridgeshire, aged 103.To commemorate Sir Arthur's lifelong interest in aviation, the Marshall family donated a trophy to the Air Training Corps to be presented to "The Most Improved Squadron in the ATC over a Protracted Period of Time".
1296 (Turiff) Squadron won the inaugural Trophy in 2008.
78 (Wembley) Squadron Air Training Corps won the Sir Arthur Marshall Trophy in 2009.
2227 (Mid Gwendraeth) Squadron won the Sir Arthur Marshall trophy in 2010.
2160 (Sleaford) Squadron won the Sir Arthur Marshall Trophy in 2011.
External links
- Article from Marshall Web Site on Sir Arthur's 100th Birthday Celebration
- Article from Air-Scene UK
- Obituary, The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, 17 March 2007 - Obituary, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 21 March 2007 - Obituary, The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 24 March 2007 - Obituary, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 26 March 2007