Memoirs of a Happy Belfast Man: The Life and Witness of Arnold Marsh 1890-1977

Arnold Marsh was an educationist and headmaster of Newtown Quaker School in Waterford, Ireland. He was born in 1890 in Belfast, the son of a tin-factory owner. He traveled widely, working in a gold mine, a lumber camp, and on railway construction in British Columbia. He encountered racism experienced by native Alaskans treated as foreigners in their own country. During World War I, he sailed from Alaska to California and was sent to France to join the front line. After peace was declared, he returned to Ireland and became headmaster of the Friends School, Lisburn. He improved the schools conditions and grew the numbers to 300-400 pupils. His fresh ideas about multi-denominational education took inspiration from his own schooldays at Sidcot in England. He married the distinguished portrait painter Hilda Roberts and settled at the foot of the Dublin mountains in Woodtown Park during the late 1930s. In his later years, he was inspired to write his memoir, illustrated with postcards, letters, and photographs describing his journeys and adventures in North America and his experiences as a headmaster.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 396 pages
Publication date: 16 November 2023
Publisher: The Lilliput Press Ltd

Arnold Marsh, the son of a Belfast tin-factory owner, was born in 1890. He is best remembered as an educationist and headmaster of Newtown Quaker School in Waterford, Ireland. His life was marked by extensive travel, including working in a gold mine in Northern Ontario, on railway construction in British Columbia, and in a lumber camp in Alaska. During his time in Alaska, Marsh encountered a diverse range of people, including Scandinavians, Chinese, Japanese, Russians, and a Finn who was fluent in multiple languages, enabling him to read different versions of the Bible. He also witnessed the racism experienced by native Alaskans who were treated as foreigners in their own country.

In 1917, when war was declared in the United States, Marsh sailed from Alaska to California, where he had a small role in the Douglas Fairbanks movie "A Modern Musketeer." He was eventually inducted into the US Army at Camp Lewis, Washington, and was sent to France to join the front line amidst the Spanish Flu pandemic. After the peace was declared, Marsh returned to Ireland, where he embarked on a remarkable cycling journey covering 1200 miles around the country on a "Grand Tour."

Returning to his first love, education, Marsh secured a job at the Friends School in Lisburn and was appointed as the headmaster in 1926. During his tenure, he observed that Irish Protestants, influenced by the pessimism of the time, were sending their children to English schools. At Newtown Quaker School, Marsh faced significant challenges, with enrollment dwindling to only twenty pupils and the school's buildings in a state of dilapidation. In sympathy with the new post-1916 independent Ireland, Marsh took immediate steps to improve the school's conditions. Under his leadership, enrollment grew to 300-400 pupils, and he introduced fresh ideas about multi-denominational education, drawing inspiration from his own schooldays at Sidcot in England. Marsh's approach was characterized by a friendly and inclusive atmosphere, where the masters were regarded as friends and mentors. He believed that education should be a transformative experience that fosters personal growth and social understanding.

Arnold Marsh's life and career exemplified his dedication to education and his commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity. His experiences in Alaska, combined with his vision for multi-denominational education, shaped his approach to teaching and inspired generations of students. Marsh's legacy continues to be felt in the educational community, and his story serves as a reminder of the importance of travel, cultural exchange, and the power of education to bridge gaps and promote understanding.

Weight: 800g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843518723