Obituary -- Lord Marshall of Leeds Kt

Lord Marshall of Leeds Kt died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, 1 November.
His sudden death came as a great shock to his family, friends and collegaues but he at least led a very active life to the very end.
Lord Marshall was born in Wakefield on 26 September 1915 and was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Wakefield and Downing College, Cambridge, where he read law. After service during the war in the Royal Tank Regiment, he qualified as a solicitor an d joined the Leeds firm of Hepworth and Chadwick where he eventually became senior partner.
He took a great interest in local government as a member of Leeds City Council from 1960, becoming leader from 1967 to 1972. He was also chairman of the Association of Municipal Corporations from 1968 to 1973. After his service with Leeds City Council, Lord Marshall had many assignments including a scheme for a third London airport at Foulness on the Essex coast. Whilst his scheme was eventually aborted, Lord Marshall went on to chair a committee of inquiry into the future of London government.
He had numerous other appointments which included vice-chairman of the Centre for Environmental Studies, a member of the Uganda Resettlement Board, a governor of the universities of Bradford, Buckingham, Leeds and York and a member of the committee of the Docklands Light Railway. More recently he had also been involved in easing the Channel Tunnel Bill through the House of Lords. Besides the Municipal Mutual Insurance Group, Lord Marshall had many other business interests and served on numerous boards.
Lord Marshall was knighted in 1971 in recognition of his service to local government and became a life peer in 1980. His legal and local government experience was of great benefit to Municipal Mutual Insurance Ltd. He was appointed to the board of managing trustees on 12 November 1970 and became chairman on 1 July 1978. Over the 20 years of service on the board Lord Marshall saw the company expand to include over 30 subsidiaries. He served the company, and later the group, with vigour and enthusiasm, steering the company and its subsidiaries through a strong growing period. He had a sharp mind, enabling him to get to grips with fundamentals and he gave firm support to management for achieving objectives. He expressed wisdom, loyalty, humour and a sense of duty in his business activities. He had a friendly work to say to all and was well respected by the staff and pensioners who met him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
He had a close-knit family and at company functions had unfailing support from Lady Marshall. Our thoughts are with Lady Marshall and her two daughters Angela and Virginia at this time of sad loss.