[3] He was working on the sinking of a new shaft for a colliery near Sherburn Station in December 1856 when he was informed that the eminent local engineer William Coulson[4] was seeking three experienced men to go out to Borneo as "sinkers".
Marshall Cresswell applied and was awarded one of the positions, all of which led to a period of what could be called "Adventure and excitement".
He set sail bound for Sarawak on the island of Borneo from Gravesend via Rio de Janeiro and Singapore in February 1857 on the Gwalior and immediately became involved in long sea journeys, shipwrecks, storms, hostile natives, excessive heat, and all that goes with these.
It would be 20 September 1859 when he arrived back on the Tyne The story of his adventure, "From Dudley Colliery to Borneo - by Marshall Creswell", was later serialised in the Newcastle Courant,[5] running from 18 January to 12 April 1878 – Annotated versions:[6] or [7] On his return to Newcastle, Marshall Cresswell commenced work again in the Tyneside pit at Dudley.
He wrote numerous songs and recitation, many published by John W Chater, winning a gold medal with "Morpeth Lodgings" in one competition.