Remembering a lovely man today, the choir have just had our visit to The Manor, an event Martin organised every year for us. Lots of happy memories there, much missed.

I first met Martin around 1987 at J and S Marine while doing my apprenticeship. In fact I became Martin’s apprentice latterly and worked on several projects with him. He was always very knowledgeable and I learnt a lot from him. We did share the fact that we are both left handed although Martin was far cleverer than I will ever be.........One story Martin used to tell revolved around us both cycling to J and S together (after he moved up to Langarron Park and I lived at Chanters Hill). Bear in mind that at the time I was a keen cyclist and had all the right kit, Martin had an old sit up and beg type bike, a real bone shaker! On this particular day I didn’t meet Martin at the top of Bear Street for some reason, maybe he was running late. I carried on cycling and got to the inner relief road around Gaydon St Motors when suddenly Martin came racing past me at break neck speed. It was all I could do to get onto his back wheel and chase him to Pottington. He was absolutely knackered by the time we got to work but he was determined to beat me into work - a determination to succeed that was with him his whole life.

When Martin left J and S to join South West Water, we still kept in touch and I would often visit him at home. In fact it was Martin that recommended me for the job at SWW which I got 3 months after Martin started. We had some really good times on SWW in those days. Martin very shrewdly off loaded the Bedford CF van that he was issued onto me and took on the Bedford MIDI van which was far more civilised. I didn’t really mind too much though....When Jeff Horsman started we kind of became the 3 musketeers and built up a good bond which has stood the test of time. 

Over the last 30 years, Martin and I have spent many weekends working together on sites across the South West doing septicity installations, COsat installations etc. I would spend hours in my shed making control boxes for Martin. Martin was certainly more innovative than me and was brilliant at designing and coming up with ideas but even he would probably admit that I provided the practical element was a bit better at the making stuff. I remember one day we were heading down the A38 to cross the Tamar Bridge. We duly joined the queue and were waiting when a “lady” in a VW Golf pulled up along side, wound down her window and shouted to Martin “I’ll show you my t*ts if you let me in. Martin being Martin, he let her in front of us but we never did get the show.......

My memories of Martin and things we did over the last 30 plus years will stay with me forever and I am honoured to think that Martin entrusted me to take on his Ideation COsat that he worked on and designed himself. I promise you Martin that I will do my best to continue with COsat to the best of my ability and not let you down. I will miss you mate..

I joined The Voice Community Choir several years ago now and Martin was the first person to welcome me. He introduced me to the other choir members and he made sure that I was being looked after. I will always remember his cheeky smile and his engaging approach to life. Martin will be very sadly missed.