Following his retirement, John revived a latent talent in sketching, encouraged by the excellent teaching skills of Barbara, his late artist wife, and with the benefit of excessive doodling during school-day lessons and some experience in engineering draftsmanship. He work mainly in watercolour, particularly enjoying plein air painting, and has fun in drawing and painting old buildings and gardens.
 Born in Birkenhead, England, he is a graduate of Liverpool and a postgraduate of Manchester University. John began working life as a graduate trainee in the engineering industry, becoming a project manager. There followed a career in management consultancy, human resource management, and teaching in his native Britain, where he served for eleven years as a part-time panel member of ACAS, the national arbitration service.
After arriving in Victoria in 1987, he immersed himself in a variety of volunteer activities with the Royal Museum, Dispute Resolution Centre, and Broadmead Lodge. Otherwise, he has always been an avid sportsman (though now mainly a TV sports fan) and have always enjoyed spending time with family.
John became a supporter of the Victoria Sketch Club after Barbara became a member in 1991, and was  awarded Honorary Membership in recognition of his work for the organization (lots of lifting and carrying!).
John served on the Committee established to organize the celebration of the Club's centennial in 2009, writing a comprehensive history of the Club to mark the event entitled The Victoria Sketch Club, a Centennial Celebration, and later contributed biographies of former members to the VSC's monthly newsletter section known as History Corner. |
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