Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2011 | Page 78

COUNTRY LIFE

Mark Newman: kind,
generous and a sad loss
Mark Newman, an extremely well
known and highly respected figure
among cattle and sheep dealers on the
Island, has died suddenly at the age of
52.
Mark and his family’s abattoir is at
Farnborough, Hampshire where he
traded under P.C. Turner, but he was
a regular visitor to the Island and
was the principle buyer at the Gilten
Market Christmas Fatstock Show at
Brickfields.
Mark also owned two agricultural
properties here and carried out
slaughtering for many Island
businesses. Island farmer David Biles
paid tribute to the man who helped
so many people here and all along the
south coast.
David said: “He was a very kind and
generous man who loved the Island,
and was respected by everyone who
knew him. He was always very busy
and hands-on, and his word was his
bond. When I sold him Park Green
Farm, we agreed the deal and shook
hands on it, and I knew that was all
that was needed. His death has come
as a great shock to every cattle dealing
person on the Island, and beyond.
“He worked at markets stretching
up to Kent and Essex, and did a lot to
encourage our Fatstock Show. He will
be sadly missed.”
Mark was born in December 1958,
the first son of Bob and Pip Newman,
Mark from an early age helped Bob in
his cattle trading business running six
local shops and in 1974 the slaughter
house at Marlow, Buckinghamshire
was purchased by Bob in which Mark
took a keen interest from an early age.
Bob and Mark built substantial cattle
trading and wholesale meat business
being independent and keen and
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active supporters of the live market
system. To facilitate their expanding
business in 1990, they purchased
their slaughterhouse at Farnborough.
The business grew from strength to
strength with Mark being actively
involved with Bob in expanding that
business, providing strong competition
against the multiple buyers in local
markets and indeed throughout
England and Wales.
Mark had four children, stepdaughter
Emma, two sons Robert and William
and Lizzie. Robert and William
follow Mark in the meat business
actively attending markets, negotiating
purchases and sales with Emma and
Lizzie also attending with Mark to
learn the trade. Bob still an active
buyer passed over the wholesale
business to Mark in recent years.
Mark was also a founder member
of AIMS, which the Association of
Independent Meat Suppliers set up
on the eve of foot and mouth in
February 2001, and represents almost
300 abattoirs and processors in the
medium and smaller independent

sector.
He had many other interests, most
famously his superb collection of
crawler tractors. Shortly before his
death he was attending a sale and
purchased a 1944 Caterpillar D8.
Mark’s death will leave a big void
in this year’s Gilten Market, which
takes place at Brickfields on Monday
December 5.
The Gilten Market Committee met
recently, and observed two minutes’
silence for the passing of Mark, and
also of Mrs. Lovegrove, whose two
sons Robert and David farm Hill Farm
and Carpenters Farm, St Helens.
The committee agreed that the
trophy for the ‘Gilten Beast’ at this
year’s show will be presented in
memory of Mark. It is hoped that
despite the sad loss of one of its best
supporters, the show will prove to be
successful, and many local farmers
have promised to rally round and give
it all the support they can.
The Gilten Dinner will also go ahead
in January, with the date and venue
still to be arranged.