FIJI-born merchant sailor, engineer and Bournemouth magistrate Len Chambers died at home on June 27.

Born in 1934, Mr Chambers was the eldest of eight children. He was a bright and ambitious student who won a scholarship to the archipelago’s top school – Marist Brothers’ High School – run by an order of missionaries.

He left school at 16 to support his family financially and learn his trade as a fitter and turner with the Fiji Sugar Corporation.

Back when most of the top jobs in Fiji were run by people of European origin, Mr Chambers was the first native Fijian to become an engineer.

He worked at various sugar mills and in the gold mines at Vatukoula, before leaving his home country in his early 20s to join the Merchant Navy as an engineer.

His service took him around the world, but his chief ambition was to come to the UK to take his formal engineering exams.

In the early 1960s he achieved this desire and began studying in Southampton, while continuing to sail long trips.

His first wife Jean worked at the British Council in Southampton and part of her role involved organising social events for overseas students.

They met at a dance she organised, fell in love and were married for over 30 years until she died in 2003. They had two daughters, Therese and Mary.

Initially, Mr Chambers continued to sail the long international trips which took him away for months at a time as he progressed up the career ladder, reaching the pinnacle of his profession and becoming a chief engineer.

In order to spend more time with his family however, he took a job as chief engineer on passenger ferries sailing out of Portsmouth to the Channel Islands.

He retired from the Merchant Navy in the early 1980s, but continued to put his skills to work assisting the lecturers at Bournemouth College.

Mr Chambers also became a local magistrate, sitting regularly on the Family Court.

He found love for the second time with Margaret, whom he married earlier this year at the age of 80, surrounded by family and friends.

He was a keen sportsman in his younger days, playing tennis, rugby and hockey. He remained passionate about sport, but latterly from the perspective of his armchair.

Wimbledon and the Rugby World Cup were his high points.

He travelled extensively for pleasure as well as business, returning regularly to visit family in Fiji, Australia and New Zealand.

He was a great storyteller, with enthralling tales of life in Fiji and at sea. His happiest times were always spent with family, his two daughters and seven grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held today at Bournemouth Crematorium at noon.