life
INTERVIEW
advised that we could call a solicitor. We
weren’t convicted but it’s amazing how
many people still remember it, partly
because it was reported prominently in
the Portsmouth daily newspaper and
the Isle of Wight County Press,” said
Sir John. “I think journalists on the
Island particularly, need to show great
responsibility in their reporting where
young people are concerned and bear in
mind the consequences of sensationalist
journalism. People can be reminded of
things they did at 18 when they’re 60. In
such an intimate society as the Island,
today’s news might wrap tomorrows
fish and chips, but memories last much
longer,”
After graduating from Cirencester
Sir John went to work in South Africa,
which was his mother’s native country.
“I worked on a eucalyptus plantation
on the Swaziland border – that was a
wonderful time,” he remembered. “We
had hundreds of acres of the stuff – the
chap I worked for had smuggled the seed
in from Australia. We exported the oil for
medical use and it was used in Consulate
cigarettes. The scenery was just like the
highlands of Scotland but hot.”
After returning from Africa five years
later Sir John worked in Cheltenham as
a farm manager, and visited the Island in
1979 for his sister’s wedding. “It was the
start of the ill fated Fastnet race and my
then fiancé Kate and I followed the boats
to the Needles and then drove along the
Military Road. It was here that a young
man lost control of his car and ploughed
into us head on,” said Sir John. “I’m
told it took them nine hours to put me
back together. I woke up in Southampton
62
General several days later only to hear
about all the people who’d lost their lives
in the Fastnet race.”
It took a long time for Sir John to
recover from his injuries. “I had to have
an operation to repin my ankle last year,”
he said to illustrate ”Many of the bones
in my legs were broken, as were my ribs,
my heart was displaced, my liver torn
and my lungs punctured. I thought I
was indomitable but I was brought right
down to earth. But the worst thing was
the shock afterwards – about a year later.
The psychological effect was much worse
and it took me a long time to recover
from that as it changed everything I had
planned for my future.”
“I spent some time at Fairlee Hospice
and then Osborne House to convalesce
surrounded by the most delightful
Generals and Colonels,” he remembered.
“Surgeon Captain Ronald Macdonald
was in charge – it was like an hotel. The
Queen’s health was drunk when the port
was passed and I had an original Landseer
outside my door.”
“After my convalescence Kate said
“You’ve got to do something to get
yourself going again” and she and her
father asked me to come and help in their
hotel, The Holmwood in Cowes. So I was
a farmer out of his depth for a bit. Then
later we bought Murray’s restaurant in
Cowes.” The hotel was sold about 20 years
ago.
Sir John and Kate married and have
two sons, George 26 and Jamie 22. “Two
naughty boys,” said Sir John. “George was
a chorister at St Georges Chapel Windsor
and attended school there, “ he said
somewhat wistfully. “ Jamie was at Ryde
School and then at Cowes High.”
Sir John has always kept a keen interest
in the countryside and about fifteen years
ago he learnt the art of hedgelaying from
Paul and Reuben Abbott of the Lavender
Farm who are renowned experts. “There
are many different styles – Paul and
Reuben are specialists in the Midlands
style,” said Sir John who works with the
Countryside Section of the IW College
one day a week, particularly encouraging
the young people in their endeavours at
hedgelaying and other country crafts.
“One of The highlights of the
Countryside Students year is the Annual
IW Hedgelaying Competition arranged
by Tony Ridd of Landscape Therapy –
he’s been the main instigator in keeping it
going,” he said of the event. “Youngsters
from the college love it. Every year about
15 or 20 young people learn the skills
needed and then they all end up in the
competition at the end. We start with
the coppicing in the autumn and then we
take the bi-products and use them in the
hedgelaying in the winter.”
In 2005 Sir John took up local politics
and was voted in as the Conservative
councillor for Gurnard. “It’s a real
learning curve being a councillor – many
of the 36 conservative councillors were
new to the job and at first found the
Council language almost incomprehensible
gobbledegook. I’m very glad that people
are starting to take issue with this – I’m
a campaigner for plain English. I don’t
mind the odd Latin phrase but don’t give
me this Harvard Business School speak
liberally peppered with acronyms,” said Sir
John in his totally down to earth manner.
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