Daphne Ewings - When all were more or less on the bread line in the depression he was Court Process server. Because of the hard times it could be said that almost everybody came within the scope of Hoppy's official duties one way or another and business was conducted in an agreeable and friendly manner and without any suggestion of social stigma or rancour. The only people who could be regarded as cash or credit worthy were the emigré 'gentry' - names like Delamere, Francis Scott, Conduit come to mind - remittance men and the Happy Valley crowd notorious because of the Earl of Erroll case and the Gin Palace in the Rift Valley.

After he retired from his Court work, Hoppy became something of a businessman in property and contrived to make considerable money. He married again in later years to a young woman who was as quiet and unassuming as he was brash and cockney. He had a daughter by, I presume, his first marriage and she became something of a film star with the name Marshall.  

Letter from Victor Kane - at one time he was the Nairobi or perhaps the Kenya Hangman. In those days I think only a conviction of murder or of rape was punishable by hanging. Quite a number did face the gallows for these offences. Hoppy owned a pub - 'Hoppy's' - at Ngong, not far past where the vehicle containing the remains of Lord Erroll was found, on the road to the Ngong Hills. I am uncertain as to whether he owned and operated the pub there pre war or not as it was in the late 1940s early 50s that I frequented the Saturday night dances and the fine 'Free' fish and chips which he put on at midnight.

It was a wild place and if a bit rough one could have a very enjoyable nights entertainment at little cost.

Nicholls - The administrators could hardly have functioned without their highly competent Goan clerks. There was only one white clerk: Robert ('Hoppy') Marshall in Nairobi, an eccentric Cockney with a war wound that made him limp severely. He doubled as the hangman, apparently having been given the job when providing the lowest tender of £5 for a white, £1 for an African and a promise to do the Indians free - a highly suspect story revealing Europeans' dislike of Indians.

Nicholls - there were nightclubs too - Hoppy's in Government Road (Hoppy Marshall had expanded his interests) ….. though they did not admit single people, being fairly decorous establishments.

Nicholls - WW2 - Restaurants such as Chez Gaby on Government Rd. prospered, and the Mascot made Hoppy Marshall a rich man. He took piles of money home in a pillow case, to add to that he made from a match factory and the construction of camouflage nets.

Paul Jackson - who put photos he obtained from Irene Burton, Hoppy's daughter on Flickr - Hoppy was eventually deported from Kenya and died destitute in South Africa.

He had been the owner of 'Hoppy's Inn, Ngong Club and was once projectionist at the Theatre Royal, Nairobi