A MAN who educated several generations of Island children has died.

Robin Peter 'Rob' Marshall died on April 3 at Kite Hill Nursing Home.

Mr Marshall was born on the IW in 1924. He was educated at Shanklin Parochial and Sandown Secondary Schools, then Borough Road College, London.

After qualifying as a teacher, he spent a short time in the Royal Navy as a radar engineer and then started his teaching career at a school in New Maulden.

In 1947 he married Joan Davis. Taking up a teaching post at Sandown 'Top School' allowed him to return to the IW. He taught at Sandown for ten years.

His first post as headmaster was a very short stint (one term) at Rookley School until it closed.

He then moved, together with many of the pupils, to Chillerton School.

At one time the school's two teaching posts were held by Rob and Joan Marshall.

After nine years of the rigours of a teaching headmaster, he accepted the post of the non-teaching headship at St Boniface School in Ventnor, where he remained until his retirement in 1984.

He then took up several charitable positions including Citizens Advice Bureau, Oxfam, SSAFA and the Albany Parole Review Committee.

It was at his first teaching job in New Maulden that his interest in beekeeping began, an interest that he kept for the rest of his life.

He held the position of secretary of the IW Bee Keepers Association for 30 years.

He spent a similar length of time as treasurer of Gatcombe PCC, 20 years as treasurer of Chillerton Horticultural Society and ten years as secretary of Chillerton Village Club.

At one time he was chairman of both Gatcombe and Rookley Parish Councils.

A keen local historian, his series of 'Landmarks of the IW' appeared in Wight Bee and the CAMRA publication Wightwash, the last one appearing as recently as March 2019.

At the age of 93, he was still entering and winning prizes at Chillerton Flower Show.

In February, the following post appeared on the IW Heritage Facebook page: “I’ve lived on the IW for 94 years. I think I’m going to like it."

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