Sir Martin Gilbert Memorial Tribute

In honour of the one-year anniversary of Sir Martin Gilbert’s death on 3 February 2015, we are pleased to share the Memorial Tribute evening in honour of Sir Martin’s life and his immense contribution to history, held at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London on 24 November 2015.

Memorial Picture Gallery


Close to 600 people attended the memorial including family and friends and those who had been touched by and gained from Sir Martin’s scholarship and his generosity.

Lady Gilbert welcomed guests and Rabbi Nicki Liss from Highgate Synagogue introduced the speakers, The Rt Hon. Gordon Brown, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Professor Sir Richard Evans and Randolph Churchill who gave their personal tributes in honour of  Sir Martin.

Richard Winch sang three songs that had resonance for Sir Martin’s life, There’ll Always Be an England (Parker & Charles), London Pride (Coward), For He’s an Englishman (Gilbert & Sullivan).

Rabbi Lionel Rosenfeld of Western Marble Arch Synagogue recited the Memorial Prayer. The evening ended with the National Anthems, God Save the Queen and the Hatikvah.

The event was supported by Western Marble Arch Synagogue and Highgate Synagogue


Memorial Tribute Video

Produced by Octavo Pictures

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©Martin Gilbert

Video Clips cannot be used without permission.

Clips of Gordon Brown cannot be used without permission from his office.


Speakers & Tributes

Lady Gilbert  ‘A life spent in the service of scholarship, who has left a legacy of historical accuracy, who influenced his world as much as he wrote it’s history’

The Rt Hon.Gordon Brown ‘Martin stands out as a great man and a good man’

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks  ‘He turned History into our memory’

Professor Sir Richard Evans  ‘He was unlike any other tutor I had encountered’

Randolph Churchill  ‘The Churchill family owe him a debt of gratitude’


Press Tributes