Richard Guy Knott Marsden was born on  28 September 1939 and passed away on 27 August 2024

Born in Oxford, brought up in Birmingham with older sisters Barbara and Beryl.
He loved his early years at The Nautical College Pangbourne playing cricket,
marching in the bugle and fife band and learning to sail.

He joined the Merchant Navy in 1957 initially serving aboard MV Port
Lyttelton. The Port Line Company paid him the princely sum of £5 a month for
the first year’s apprenticeship. According to his service records, Richard
‘proved himself honest, attentive to his duties and strictly sober.’

After his life in the merchant navy Richard commenced his sales career with E S
 & A Robinson, a paper, printing and packaging company combining this with
service in the Royal Naval Reserve unit, HMS Flying Fox in Bristol.During this
time he was briefly married to Cynthia his first wife.

Richard was ever the consummate salesman, raconteur, and collector of
friends. Later he married Janet Collins, who owned the Fox and Hounds in
Crawley, Hampshire. They spent many happy years creating one of the first
gastro-pubs in southern England.

Sailing and golf were favourite pastimes and Richard was a significant follower.
Richard was also a dedicated and enthusiastic royalist.

He retired in Stockbridge and became a well-known popular figure engaging
with all those he met on his morning walk down the high street.

Richard was an extraordinary character whose warm heart, humour and
genuine interest in people earned him many friends.

Janet predeceased Richard in 2024, and he is survived by Janet’s children,
sister Beryl and his sisters’ extended families.