A WILTSHIRE librarian and historian who has worked in Chippenham, Marlborough and Melksham has retired after 50 years working in the industry.

Mike Marshman closed the final chapter on his career at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre last month after working for Wiltshire Council since leaving school at the age of 18.

The 68-year-old has been librarian in Marlborough, Melksham, Trowbridge and Warminster and worked at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham, which houses the county’s archives.

“I wanted to be an archaeologist but happened to be taken along to the county library when I was with Trowbridge Boys High School and it started from there,” said Mr Marshman.

“Back when I started working you normally stayed in the same profession, but I have changed from being a librarian to being a more academic librarian and historian.

“At the age of 68 I decided really that was enough and it was time for young people to carry on.

“It was a little bit emotional, some of the colleagues at the History Centre I worked with them not just for nine years there but some of them I had been working with for 20 or 30 years.

“I think the most enjoyable moment during my career was when we were planning, starting up and opening the History Centre.

“It was something we worked on and were talking about for some time and what it did was bring all of our services together under one roof.”

Mr Marshman lives with his wife, Ruth, in Bradford on Avon and the couple have two children together, Megan and James.

The author of seven books already, Mr Marshman plans to write further academic books and continue writing for the county magazine, Wiltshire Life.

“I cover the whole of Wiltshire because I have to know a little bit about all of it but I’m particularly interested in the medieval period,” said Mr Marshman.

“I’m looking to write two books, one on the history about Bradford on Avon and my father, Charles, who was a good amateur photographer.”