NEWLYN HARBOUR MASTER, ANDREW MUNSON, WILL RETIRE TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS AS ITS HARBOUR MASTER.

HIS SUCCESSOR, ROB PARSONS WILL BE JOINING THE HARBOUR COMMISSION AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER AND WILL TAKE UP HIS NEW ROLE, INITIALLY AS HARBOUR MASTER DESIGNATE, AND THEN AS HARBOUR MASTER TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.

Andrew Munson first joined the harbour as a Trainee Clerk in 1969, and was appointed Harbour Master and Clerk to the Commissioners ten years later.  During his time as Harbour Master Andrew has overseen many major improvements (the building of the Mary Williams Pier in 1980, and its 90m extension in 1988; the Fish Market; the pontoon system in 2006; and the improvements to the slipway facilities in 2006).

Andrew has helped to host many royal visits, including HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Duke of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, and also the late Diana, Princess of Wales.  He has also helped to host many Governmental and other official visits to Newlyn.

Throughout his career Andrew has been at the centre of Newlyn life and has helped the local community and the harbour in many ways, both professionally and personally.

Andrew is an active member of the Local Advisory Committee of the Fisherman’s Mission (RNMDSF); a former Chairman of Newlyn Lights; and has been the Penlee Life Boat Operations Manager since 1989 (Andrew was awarded the RNLI Gold Award in recognition of his services to the RNLI in 2012).  He is also the French Consular Agent for Cornwall (having helped many injured French fishermen with repatriation to France after their hospital care – for these services he was awarded the French Honour of Knight of the Maritime Merit Order).  He was also a founder member of both the South West Ports Association and the UK Harbour Masters’ Association.

Andrew has given a lifetime of outstanding service to Newlyn, the Board of Commissioners and the local community. In this he has been wonderfully and patiently supported by his wife Carol.  Together they brought up their family of three children, all of whom have now left Newlyn but like many other local young people, retain a very strong affection and affinity for West Penwith.

Andrew’s successor, Rob Parsons was born in Basingstoke, with the family moving to the Isle of Wight at an early age due to his father’s career as a Policeman.  Rob remained on the island throughout his schooling where he developed his love of the sea due to his grandfather’s influence, which in turn inspired him to join the Royal Navy.  Married to Michelle, a former Police Officer, the family left the Isle of Wight to move to the West Country where they very quickly fell in love with Cornwall, often braving the weather to camp with their two young children at Penzance, St Ives and Perranporth.  Rob’s first exposure to Newlyn Harbour was in 2010 whilst serving on board HMS GLEANER, the crew received a very warm welcome and he soon felt at home in the area because of its natural beauty and friendly local people.  As a family, they are all very excited about the prospect of moving to Newlyn, and for Rob, being offered the job of Harbour Master is “a dream come true”.  His family particularly enjoys the outside life and are very active, particularly around the sea.  Both, he and his wife Michelle are keen to involve the entire family in his new role and their new community.  Rob is looking forward to integrating and working with all those involved and interested in the port as this is an exciting time for Newlyn Harbour and as Rob himself has stated “he will be honoured to be a part of it”.

End.