LIFE IN BRIEF

AS A teenage actor, Herman Martyn performed at the Old Vic with Alec Guinness, Ralph Richardson, Margaret Leyton and Sir Laurence Oliver, writes Lee Cass. The thespian urge was nurtured at London’s Hasmonean School, and at the Italia Conti School for Music and Drama, where he acted with some of the future greats, often directed by a youthful Peter Brook.

But Martyn, who has died aged 87, was destined to be in business, not theatre, where he rose to top management, and in communal life where, as one of the longest serving governors of NW London Jewish Day school he considerably enhanced the school’s development.

In 2004 he helped negotiate state funding of £60,000 for an outdoor learning area, raised funds for the latest computer technology and helped bid for grant maintained status, for which the school raised over £1million. He also became the Jewish representative to the London borough of Brent LEA on the school organisation committee.

To escape the Blitz, his parents Samuel Martyn and Rose Wolfson-Martyn, decided to send him as a nine year old, with his younger sister Marlene, to live in Chicago. Educated at a New Jersey boarding school, he celebrated his Barmitzvah in Westchester with his American family before returning to Britain.

In 1949, he joined the RAF for two years before applying to RADA. But instead of waiting for demobbed servicemen to take up their places, he opted for retail instead, and in August 1948, at the age of 17, travelled to South Africa, selling furniture

In 1950 Martyn was employed by Great Universal Stores and he married Miriam Azulay in a double wedding with his sister Marlene, who married an American, Hal Spitz. The couple had two sons, Mark and Richard, and a daughter, Lee. In 1979 Martyn became Managing Director of the Houndsditch Warehouse Company, and was eventually promoted to Chairman and Managing Director.

He was concurrently MD of several store chains, including Great Universal Stores. In 1987 he left to form Yarden UK, introducing Israeli products into mainstream UK stores in the UK including Selfridges. During his long retail career he managed some 60 shops and employed over 3500 people.

Herman Martyn is survived by his wife Miriam, sons Richard and Mark and daughter, Lee. His sister Marlene pre-deceased him in 1979.