ROBERT MARTIN

Death of Mr Robert Martin

AN OLD-TIME SPORTSMAN

A FAMILY DATING BACK TO WATERLOO TIME

The death of Mr Robert Martin which took place at Bedford House, Andover road, on Tuesday morning at the age of 84, removes one of our oldest townsmen, and member of a family dating back to the days of Waterloo.  He was a trader of the old school, straightforward and honest in all his dealings, a man who never neglected his business, but enjoyed a bit of sport with his gun; a pioneer in the early days of cycling, bluff of speech, thorough in work, and a man whom all could trust.

Family History

The Martin family dates back  in Newbury to 1814, when Robert Martin, father of the deceased, founded the saddler’s business in the Market place, where it has been carried on ever since. The premises have historic interest. Documents in connection go back to the time of Henry VIII, at which time they were occupied by a longbow sring maker, and probably equipped the archers which Jack of Newbury raised for Flodden Field.  During the Civil Wars, the house was a noted hostelry, known as “The King;s Head”, a well-known rendezvous of the Royalist party in Newbury, and it was roundabout here that the King, Lord Carnarvon, and other officers spent the night before the First Battle in 1643. Only a few doors away Lord Falkland took the last Sacrament.  The exact date when the old house ceased to be an inn is notclear, but references to it are found in 1750, when the premises were acquired by William Friend, a flax dresser, and in 1815 they were acquired by the Martin family.  Some years ago, the removal of an old plaster ceiling disclosed somebeautiful oak panelling, richly ornamented with carving.  It was in a remarkable state of preservation, and is a good specimen of the artistic work of the fifteenth century

The first Robert Martin was a character in his way. Whose favourite evening pastime was to sit outside his shop, smoking a churchwarden  pipe, drinking his glass of grog, and exchanging greetings with those who passed.  His brother John, who was a draper  carrying on business in the premises now occupied by Messrs. Jackson, loved to take a day’s hunting.  He made no disguise about it, but put up his shutters and chalked on them “Gone out hunting”.  This is a reminder of another old Newburian, Richard Wilson, who went a-hunting on his horse, “Business”.  If anybody inquired for the master, they could truthfully say he was “Out on business”

Robert Martin married in 1864 Jane, the eldest daughter of Joseph Adey, and thus two of the oldest Newbury families became united.  They had been married 62 years last November, and celebrated their golden and diamond anniversaries. There was a family of ten, seven sons and three daughters, and they survive with one exception.

Robert Martin flourished as a saddler and harness maker inn the days when horses were the only means of transport.  He also established the rope-walk by the side of the railway line, and this old industry was carried on for many years. He retired from active business two years ago, leaving it to be carried on by his son Robert, while another, Edward, went in for the modern method of motor-cars.

An Old-Fashioned Sportsman

|Nothing delighted him more than to be out with his gun and his dog.  He belonged to the old-fashioned school of sportsmen who were always more content to walk up the game rather than have it driven to them by beaters.  In the opinion of one who is a competent judge, he was a first-rate shot in his prime, and would go all day walking partridges without missing a single bird.  Shooting to him was a serious business, and often times when he was out with the younger generation, and there was a buzz of conversation at the start, he bluntly remarked “Now you young men, if you are come out to shoot, we’ll shoot,but if you came out to talk, I’m going home”  This was characteristic of him.  Many tales are told about his powers of endurance.  After trudging over the fallows all day, he has been known to shoulder his game and walk all the way back to Newbury from Ashmansworth.

One of his delights was to go duck shooting, and he would cheerfully face the worst of weather, the wettest bog, to get a shot at the wary birds.  Strangely enough, at home he was the chilliest of mortals, and objected strongly to an open window or a draughty door.  On one occasion, when snow was on the ground, he donned his nightshirt to make himself less conspicuous, but his dog objected in such a persistent manner that he had to take it off.  He held a game license for over fifty years.

A Pioneer Cyclist

Mr Martin was a pioneer cyclist.  When the bicycle, a fearsome kind of bone shaker, came out, he and Edward Plenty decided that they must go in for this new kind of locomotion.  Some journeys that were so wonderful to that generation were accomplished on that ancient machine, which is still in possession of the family.  The biggest exploit was a ride to Bridgwater, a distance of 97 miles; a pleasant afternoon trip for a present day motorist.  It was a tremendous adventure and full of incident, starting at four in the morning, he reached Bridgwater at eight the same night.  After staying there a few days, he returned to Newbury by train.  Afterwards he made journeys to Brighton and Exeter, which were duly recorded in the local Press.  He continued a cyclist all his life, sampling all the makes as they came, high machines, safety, solid and cushioned tyres, and finally pneumatic.  He had no love for the motor-car, in spite of the enthusiasm of his son, Edward.

One of the First Volunteers

Mr Martin was one of the first to don the grey uniform with scarlet facings of the Berkshire Volunteers, and attended royal reviews I Hyde Park.  He was a great walker, and often paced his friend, Edward Plenty, in some of his pedestrian performances.

He was an expert with the quarter-staff, and many a stiff bout was fought out at the rear of his business premises.

When 66 years of age, he took up bowling and became one of the canniest  trundlers on the Newbury Green.  He and three sons once defeated a club team, an achievement which is still remembered in bowling annals.

A Newury Worthy

Robert Martin did not take any prominent part in public life, but his sound commensense, business capacity ad startling character constituted him a worthy citizen of the borough of his birth.  He was one of the few survivors of  an older generation, which lived and traded in Newbury under conditions far different from those of today.

The funeral takes place tomorrow (Friday) the first part at the Parish Church at 3.30 pm the interment being in the Newtown road Cemetery.  There is a Martin family vault in the churchyard, where previous members of the family were buried.