A FORMER roads chief who spent more than four decades living in North Berwick died last weekend.

Gordon Marshall, who was awarded a CBE in 1992 for his work as Depute Director of Roads for Scotland at the Scottish Office, passed away on August 14 in Edington Hospital, North Berwick. He was 84.

Mr Marshall was born in Edinburgh but was brought up in Glasgow.

He attended the High School of Glasgow before going on to study engineering at Strathclyde University.

Mr Marshall followed his father, who worked as a civil engineer, into the trade, and began work on the national railways as a 21-year-old.

He then married wife May, from Lewis, and from the 1960s was a regular visitor, while daughter Laura currently lives there.

Gordon later moved to work with the Scottish Office, where he remained until his retirement, aged 60.

He moved to North Berwick in 1973, and daughter Laura told the Courier this week how her dad, along with his wife, the late May, came to live in the county.

East Lothian Courier:

She said: “His mum and dad met in North Berwick.

“They met at the old open water pool, and dad spent a lot of time there during the summer when he was young.

“When he was based [for work] in Edinburgh, it was the ideal place for him to live.”

She added that her dad was heavily involved with work on the A9, while he also regarded the building of the Kessock Bridge, across the Beauly Firth, as one of his greatest achievements.

Laura added: “He took great pride in that [Kessock Bridge]. He told me he was involved with the A9 – the dualling of the road was one of his big projects. He secured the land to make sure the road could be dualled, and it’s interesting to note the Scottish Government have said work will be carried out by 2025.”

Mr Marshall’s wife May died 10 years ago, but he is survived by his daughter Laura, sons Craig and Gregor, and five grandchildren, Jamie, Emilia, David, Ewan and Rory.

A memorial service was held in St Andrew Blackadder Church in North Berwick last Friday, while Mr Marshall was to be buried on Lewis this week.