Local Face: David Marshall BEM
Congratulations to David Marshall on being awarded the medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to the community, in the Birthday Honours of King Charles in 2024. He has been invited to an award ceremony by the Lord Lieutenant, Lady Howe, but no date or venue has yet been fixed.
David and his younger brother were born in Hemel Hempstead and lived at the time in Abbotts Langley before moving to their mother’s village of Weston Turville around 1945.
David’s maternal grandfather had been a builder and the family were able to buy that home when his grandmother died. Their father came from Sutton in Surrey and was a printer and publisher in London but he was conscripted into the RAF for WW2. He was good at fixing things so he became an engine fitter for Rolls Royce Merlin engines before returning to civvy street from an RAF base in Lincolnshire.
David must have inherited his father’s genes and practice as he started an apprenticeship at RTB (Richard Thomas and Baldwin) Steel Laboratories in Whitchurch. It was there that he met his wife, Jane who was also qualifying as a bench chemist. They married in 1970 and lived in Weston Turville.
RTB eventually consolidated its laboratories in South Wales but neither youngster wanted to move away. Meanwhile, brother Stephen (always known as “Ginger”) had been learning to be a car mechanic and wanted to set up on his own. David joined him in starting up a car business in the California area of Aylesbury.
They offered service and repair including for sporting models. Jane used her laboratory skills first at PRL (Princes Risborough Laboratory) then she became an air hostess with BUA for a short while before joining TRADA (Timber Research and Development) in Naphill. David and Jane moved to Dunsmore in 1975.
David and Jane felt welcome in Dunsmore from the moment they arrived (December) and David was drawn into helping to maintain and develop two local buildings, which eventually led to the award of the BEM for services to the community.
It started with Dunsmore Village Hall, a brick building provided by Langford Lovell, the Lord of the Manor of Wendover Dean in 1849, as a schoolroom for the children of agricultural labourers with one teacher employed for that purpose. This use ceased after WW1 when it became the Village Hall. It still has the original black and red Victorian tiles and a small fireplace. David helped to fit replacement windows with his friend the late Tony Wood and others.
The Hall was registered as a charity and David is a Trustee and chair of the Management Committee. He is keen to thank all fellow Trustees and other villagers who willingly help with maintenance and repair. He has provided a patio area with access from modern French windows and has also been on a mission to eliminate rodents from the roof.
No sooner had David become involved with Dunsmore Village Hall, than the other community building needed serious work. In about 1978, Ellesborough Parish Church sought to sell off the Church of the Resurrection, a wooden building constructed in 1897 as a chapel of ease mostly for agricultural labourers. It did not have water or a septic tank and water could not be introduced making the sale more or less impossible.
The villagers took on the responsibility of rebuilding the south wall in the same materials as the original. Then came re-roofing, the first part by volunteers then a local roofer kindly offered to finish the second side. David made a chandelier so that the carol service could be by candlelight. Dunsmore cream teas in summer support both buildings and are advertised in roadside posters and Wendover News so do go up if you are available.
Sadly David’s wife Jane died in 2017. A further blow came this year when his family home was destroyed by fire on 3 January. Friends were very supportive and David hopes to be able to rebuild as soon as the insurance claim has been settled. Fortunately David’s outbuildings were not harmed so he continues with his hobbies including helping friends to maintain classic cars, mostly Austin-Healeys for sprints and hill climbs.
Words and photo: Jane Larkham