Horace Brooks Marshall, 1st Baron Marshall of Chipstead


Horace Brooks Marshall, 1st Baron Marshall of Chipstead, was an English publisher and newspaper distributor and Lord Mayor of London, 1918-1919.

Early life

Marshall was born in Streatham, Surrey, a suburb of London. He was educated at Dulwich College and Trinity College, Dublin and then joined his father's wholesale newspaper business in Fleet Street. Horace Brooks Marshall Snr pioneered the sales of books and publications on the railways. As Horace Marshall and Son, it became one of the largest such businesses in the United Kingdom.

Civic career

After his father's death in 1896, Marshall succeeded him unopposed as member of the Court of Common Council of the City of London for Farringdon Without. He was Sheriff during the coronation year 1902, and was knighted in the 1902 Coronation Honours, receiving the accolade from King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on 24 October that year. During his year as Sheriff, he also accompanied the Lord Mayor on official visits to the English cities of Wolverhampton, Bath and Exeter.
He became alderman for Vintry Ward in 1909.
He was Lord Mayor of London in 1918-1919. As Lord Mayor during the First World War victory celebrations, he was particularly prominent, being appointed to the Privy Council in 1919 and appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1920 New Year Honours. Marshall was raised to the peerage in the 1921 New Year Honours as Baron Marshall of Chipstead, of Chipstead in the County of Surrey, the first sitting alderman of the City of London to be so honoured.
Marshall received the honorary degree Doctor of Laws from the University of Dublin in June 1902.
He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 4th Battalion, London Regiment, on 16 October 1918.
He was buried at St Margaret's, Chipstead.
His only son died in infancy and the barony thus became extinct upon his death. He had two daughters; the elder, Nellie, married J. Arthur Rank.

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