Vale Marsden Hordern: 1922-2025

A love of the water was apparent in Marsden from an early age and while at Knox, he gained his Royal Life Saving Society Resuscitation Badge in 1935. He went on to study Arts at the University of Sydney and during these years, he enlisted to serve in World War II as a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy. During this time, he conducted hazardous missions in Timor, rescuing women and children and evacuating them to Darwin, while also protecting the coastline from Japanese attacks. He continued to serve in the RAN Reserve until 1970.

Taking part in compulsory Cadet training at school, Marsden recalled that service to his country was implicit within Knox boys, and mourned the loss of some of his classmates during World War II.

In 2023, Marsden said: “My cousin Peter Hordern (OKG36) was the first Knox boy killed in active service during the Second World War. War broke out and he went over to Europe and joined the Air Force and was killed.”

“Many boys in many countries were about to discover that the late 1930s and early 1940s were dangerous years to be leaving school.”

After returning from service in World War II, Marsden took up flying and ocean sailing and for some years navigated yachts in the early Sydney to Hobart races (he completed three races). Marsden served as a Lieutenant and Lieutenant-Commander with the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Naval Reserves, and was awarded the Volunteer Reserve Decoration.

He founded Hilton Hordern Fine Art Print Gallery in Sydney in 1958 and was also a director of two public companies: Hodgsons Holdings Ltd and Hydro Majestic, Medlow Bath. Marsden worked in department stores both in Sydney and in the London office of Hordern Brothers.

A highly-acclaimed author of several books including ‘Mariners Are Warned! John Lort Stokes and H.M.S. Beagle in Australia 1837-1843 (1989)’ and ‘King of the Australian Coast: The Work of Phillip Parker King in the Mermaid and Bathurst 1817-1822 (1997)’, Marsden was awarded ‘The Age’ Book of the Year, the Victorian Premier's Literary Award (A. A. Phillips Award for Australian Studies), the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award for General History, the Braille Book of the Year; and the Australian Maritime History Prize. In recognition of the contribution made by these books to Australian history, Marsden received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Sydney University in 2004.

Marsden was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2009 for “Services to the recording of Australian maritime history, particularly early exploration and naval history during World War II”.

Marsden married Lesley Frances Mary Spooner in 1953. They have two children – daughter Rosemary Hordern and son Nicholas Marsden Hordern (OKG74). He has four grandchildren, Alexandra Hordern, Edward Hugh Hordern (OKG05) and Richard and Charles Hordern-Gibbings.

During our centenary celebrations, Marsden recorded a ‘Happy Birthday’ message for the School. Marsden regaled us with stories of his days at Knox recalling his excitement about the installation of the swimming baths, which were located on the site where the Reid Industrial Arts Building stands today.

“I must have been ten or 12 … and they had just built the swimming pool at Knox and it was a terrific thing for a school to have a swimming pool in those days,” Marsden said.

We offer our sincere condolences to the Hordern family during this time.

Virile Agitur.

Marsden Hordern’s copy of The Knox Grammarian (1929)

Marsden Hordern (1934)

Scouts Uniform

Hordern Family (1937)

Marsden Hordern (1942)

‘Australian Women’s Weekly’ (1953)

The University of Sydney Honorary Awards (2004)

Knox Pre-Centenary Video (2023)