Everyone at Islington Archaeology and History Society offers heartfelt condolences to Michael Marland's family.

Michael was a great supporter of the work that we do, and always took a great delight in sharing his knowledge with us. I had hoped to learn very much more from him. It was Michael's efforts that finally led to a plaque being mounted on Compton Terrace to mark the 60th anniversary of the V1 bomb that changed irretrievably the architecture of Highbury Corner. Without pause for thought he could at the same time take the interested learner through a tangent on Tudor brickwork before picking up the previous topic. His generosity was without bounds.

Michael taught me a maxim, almost a mantra, that will always stay with me and is written elsewhere on this website: that "Archaeology is not just about what is buried beneath our feet. It is about any manmade structure, and it could be below us or several storeys above us. It is about the people who were born, lived, worked, and died there. If we lose sight of that then we lose our own selves."

Obituaries were published in The Times, the Guardian and the Independent. I hope that there will also be tributes in the next edition of the IA&HS Journal, perhaps from those with their own personal reminiscences and insights.

Once again I have had to write of unhappy news, but I hope also that Michael's ideals have been widely received, in archaeology, history, anthropology and education, and in his encouragement for young people to fulfill their abilities.