Born on 17^th July 1945, at Holme Valley Memorial Hospital, ( the Japanese surrended shortly afterwards ).

John’s family then moved to a small cottage at Hoylandswaine, where they lived until 1950, moving briefly to Emley Moor before returning to Hoylandswaine, where he lived until his marriage to Hazel in 1971.

The couple met at Huddersfield Sailing Club at Hade Edge, where Hazel’s family were already active founder members, and found himself taken under their collective wing.

They married on 11th September, later to become notorious as 9 / 11, and a son arrived in 1974, followed by a daughter in 1976.

They sailed as a family and individually, until 1996 competing regularly at the home Club and at Regional and National Meetings in a number of Classes.

The family have now flown the nest, Gareth to London, Kirsty to Vancouver, no doubt following Father’s advice “ go live somewhere exotic so we can visit “.

John’s working life commenced following an OND Course in Building straight from School and HNC taken at night school whilst working as a Surveyor for a Building Contractor.

The path to Membership of the Chartered Institute of Building followed much later, when emerging from a short career as a Local Authority Engineer he joined a Large Building  Contractor as a Site Engineer rising quickly into management of sections and then a Site of his own.

After several moves around the well known large Construction Companies he raised his game to Contracts Manager working in the Leeds area.

He has latterly worked on 2 large PFI High Schools in Leeds, with a further PFI Contract for 13 Schools in Barnsley where he is currently managing the construction of a new School due for completion this Summer.

John’s musical influences came from his parents; mother played the piano; father sang

( first Tenor! ) in local choirs, and he was sent to piano lessons at the age of 8, with mixed results, except maybe a rudimentary ability to read music.

An unfashionable teenage interest in Country music on the radio, converted to Folk music following the revival of the 1960’s, although the guitar didn’t materialise until 1970.

He played in small Groups and attended Folk Clubs, eagerly collecting the Music and Lyrics, but not really performing until a work assignment in Newcastle saw him as a regular, playing and singing in a Folk Club in Whitley Bay.

In 1991, a chance question from a near neighbour, ( a D. Shuttleworth, – it’s all his fault! ), “ would you like to join a Male Voice Choir ? “, led to an attendance at the Lydgate School, and he has never managed, or indeed wanted, to escape.

The Annual trip to Kirkby Lonsdale saw him emerge as a guitar soloist, a welcome and ideal chance to combine his musical passions.

Joining New Mill Male Voice Choir – A life changing decision!