Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2009/January 2010 | Page 30

life

INTERVIEW

Martin pictured 2009 at St Lawrence School
he was a Colonel Commandant of the Royal

with the judiciary, but I have the continuity

Logistic Corps (a sort of non-executive director)

afforded by the longer time in office.” Since

and Honorary Colonel of a TA Regiment, based

the spring of 2009 he and Gillian Phenix,

both on the Island and in Marchwood on

his Deputy Clerk to the Lieutenancy, have

Southampton Water. “So I still had quite a lot

organised visits from the Duke of Kent (twice),

to do,” he says, with masterful understatement.

the Duke of Edinburgh (twice), the Countess of

He was based at home on the Island during

Wessex, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess

this time and the then Lord Lieutenant,

of Cornwall and The Princess Royal. They sketch

Christopher Bland, asked him to be a Deputy

out the programme for each visit, but expect

Lieutenant: and a year later in 1999, to be his

to alter it as necessary while consulting and

Vice Lord Lieutenant.

coordinating all the time with the Palace and

The transition from there to becoming Lord
Lieutenant is far from a foregone conclusion,

other agencies.
Come the day, Martin’s is the first face the

however. Every county in England has a

particular dignitary will see when they arrive on

Lord Lieutenant, there are 98, and for each

the Isle of Wight, usually by helicopter. “Every

appointee there is a public consultation process

time a member of the Royal Family or foreign

which was then run by the Prime Minister’s

head of state comes I introduce the person,

senior appointments secretary. He will consult

in line of precedence, to my wife, the High

a wide cross section of 20 or 30 people in the

Sheriff, their spouse, Chairman of the Council

county about the sort of person who should

and spouse, the MP and spouse, the chief

hold the office as Her Majesty’s Representative.

policeman, and so it goes on.

Eventually the person is asked if he or she is

say hello and the last to say farewell.”

I’m the first to

prepared to do it – as well as being honorary

This is just one aspect of his job. He is

it is also of course non-political and lasts until

also chairman of the Advisory Committee

the incumbent’s 75th birthday – and the PM

on Magistrates. Four or so posts become

seeks Her Majesty’s approval to make the

vacant each year, but around 30 people are

appointment. Martin was appointed in 2006.

interviewed for each appointment. This year

“It is a huge privilege to be asked to do it –

two magistrates have joined the Island Bench.

especially for someone whose roots are here

One of his favourite parts of the job is to

and who has always had a home here,” Martin

champion the honours and awards system. “I’m

White says proudly.

really keen for people who go that extra mile

The reason Martin affected vagueness about

30

Martin pictured 2008

for their community to get national recognition.

the role at the start of our chat was because

So I encourage people to nominate those kinds

it is not cut and dried. “Everyone does it

of people for a national award (Details on the

in a different way, and it is within certain

Honours website or contact Deputy Clerk to

guidelines, very personal,” he says. “Part of the

the Lieutenancy). So we got three MBEs in this

role can overlap with that of the High Sheriff,

years Birthday Honours, two from the Voluntary

although their responsibilities are historically

sector. For us, that is a really excellent result.”