Past Master Geoffrey Marsh MBE

Company News

The Clerk is very sorry to report the death of Past Master Geoffrey Marsh MBE on 28th December 2024.

Geoff had been a member of the Livery since 1967, and was awarded the St Michael Medallion in 1973 in recognition of his services to the Plumbing Industry, and became Master in 1986, the year in which he was awarded his MBE.

Our thoughts and condolences go to his widow, Ann, and all the family.

Please find the funeral arrangements and a full obituary below.

Past Master Geoffrey Marsh MBE giving the Company Annual Lecture: ‘Plumbing – the Public Health Service’ on 7th February 2006 at the Royal College of Physicians. Read the newsletter covering the Lecture.

Geoffrey JW Marsh MBE, FCGI, CGIA, FRSH, FCIPHE, RP was a legend of the Plumbing and Heating Industry, with an international reputation for which he was fully recognised with his state award in the Honours List.

The Company is most grateful to Geoff’s daughter, Liveryman Elisabeth Finch, for providing this moving tribute and obituary to him:

Geoff Marsh was a man with ambition to make his neighbourhood, in the broadest sense, a better, happier, more friendly place. His life was guided by the second commandment: Love thy neighbour as thyself. Geoff’s determination to encourage people around him to follow that commandment was legendary – in the communities where he lived and even in the plumbing industry where Geoff championed cooperation and collaboration to achieve faster progress.

Born in Westerham, Kent in 1932, Geoff started his career in the plumbing industry at the age of 16. He chose plumbing based on his understanding, even then, of “how fundamentally important this engineering discipline is to the existence of humanity”. This conviction guided his plumber’s progress from apprentice to a leader in the global industry. Geoff’s life’s work was to create paths for plumbers to be continually trained, qualified and ultimately to be recognized as engineers.

Geoff joined the Livery of The Worshipful Company of Plumbers in 1967 and was on the Court of the Company for over 40 years. He trained as an apprentice plumber, became Technical Director of Marley Extrusions Ltd and introduced several patented products into the industry. He served as President of the Institute of Plumbing (now the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering), chaired its General Council and is a Fellow of The Institute. Geoff was elected first Chairman of the World Plumbing Council and holds the Council’s distinguished service award. Within the industry he ran two trade associations, served on the Construction Liveries Group and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. Working with Ifo Sanitar of Sweden Geoff introduced reduced flush WCs to the UK in a major contribution to water conservation.

One of his very important achievements was the introduction of the Master Plumber Certificate. and he served as Chairman of its working group. He was Master of the Plumbers’ Company in 1986 and he holds the St Michael Medallion, the Company’s highest honour. In the 1987 New Year’s Honours List, Geoff was awarded the MBE for services to the plumbing industry which he received later that year from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

Geoff’s partner in everything he did since 1954 was Ann. They met at Chatham Barracks where Geoff was completing his National Service, playing badminton (Geoff hit Ann in the eye with a shuttlecock!) Married in 1956, they were inseparable. Ann was his help and support and she was his rock. The importance of education and vocational training was instilled in their four children who each pursued the path that suited them and all built fulfilling careers cheered on throughout by Geoff and Ann.

Family times for the Marsh clan revolved around sporting activities: Geoff and Trevor, playing cricket with Sennocke at Knole Park with the rest supporting, scoring and making teas; family days at Canterbury to support Kent CCC; Geoff and Ann cheering on their children’s sporting endeavours and vicariously living through their adventures and particularly their travels.

At home, Geoff was rarely without a pad of paper and a pen in front of him, writing about or sketching his thoughts and ideas. He was passionate about taking a new concept, patiently developing it and turning it into reality through persistence and hard work. Whether a new technical product for use in construction, a window-basket system for domestic use, getting plumbers recognised as engineers, or developing a new type of church service, he was absolutely driven by his thoughts and would not rest until he saw them to fruition.

Geoff’s faith was strong. In 2000 he wrote of his relationship with God while sitting in a hospital car park, waiting for Helen, as her first husband died. We are so grateful to have this as a confirmation of his faith about where he has gone to. “When my consciousness, spirit or soul is called home I will leave love behind to grow in others and take loving thanks to God for my life on earth.”

Geoff is survived by Ann, their children Trevor (Gill), Helen (Richard), Jo (Tim), Elisabeth (David), grandchildren Alex, James, Louise (Cam), Hannah, Nic, and Andrew and great grandchildren Aurora and Owen.

Funeral & Service

There will be a live stream of the funeral, which will take place at Glynn Valley Crematorium in Bodmin at 10.30am on Wednesday 15th January. Details can be obtained from the Clerk.

There will also be a service in London to celebrate Geoff’s life, later in the year, for which details will be provided once known.

The family has requested no flowers, but donations in lieu are welcomed to either Alzheimer’s Society or Water Aid, and these can be made online via the Memory Giving website or by cheque: C/O R J Bray & Son, Funeral Directors, Egloshayle Road, Wadebridge PL27 6AD.  Tel: 01208 812626