Mr John McQueen-Mason.
A CHELSEA Pensioner who was a well known licensee on the Island has died, at the age of 86.
John McQueen-Mason was born in Dorking, Surrey, on August 11, 1925. He grew up at Gurnard and in 1951 married Uffa Fox’s niece, Lucy Dixon.
Widowed in January 2002, he was the father of Jane McQueen-Mason, who lives in New York, and Prof Simon McQueen-Mason, and grandfather to Ian and Sofia.
Mr McQueen-Mason was in the Royal Tank Regiment and, in the early 1960s, served with Brixmas, the British mission observing Russian troop movements during the Cold War.
He retired in 1970, returning to the Island where he and his wife ran the Clarendon Hotel, Chale, from 1972 to 75 after spending a year at the Folly Inn, Whippingham.
They returned to the Folly in 1975, remaining there until 1987.
Both The Clarendon and The Folly became known for their fine food when they were run by Mr and Mrs McQueen-Mason.
They retired to Tenerife before returning to the Island to live at Barton, Newport.
Mr McQueen-Mason became a Chelsea Pensioner in 2008. The funeral service takes place at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on February 21 at 2pm. Donations to the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.
A memorial service is expected to take place on the Island in the summer.
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