Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2018 | Page 37

Interview
All Saints, Ryde Parish Church Choir, 2008
married last year, to another teacher, and
is now living in Dorset.
“I suppose teaching must be in the
blood” says John, who takes particular
delight in visits from his only grandson.
John and his late wife Sheila – formerly
a nurse at Guys Hospital – finally retired
back to the Island in 1991 and he stepped
seamlessly back into his role
as organist and musical
director at Ryde Church,
almost as if he had
never been away.
He finally retired
from the role in
2011 and admits
he does miss
it – although it
seems he isn’t
short of many
other activities to
fill his time.
A life in music
As well as writing children’s stories, he
loves to compose music and has had
some success with several of his pieces.
In fact he wrote the music and words for
the winning Millennium Hymn sung at St
Paul’s Cathedral in 1999 and Portsmouth
Cathedral on New Year’s Day of 2000.
Over 700 composers submitted entries
for the hymn-writing competition and,
according to John, nobody was more
surprised and delighted than he was to be
announced the winner.
He went on to write another
hymn to mark the 75th
anniversary of the
Portsmouth Diocese
in 2002, and a
commemorative
plate of that event
takes pride of
place at his home
– a retirement
apartment in
Wootton.
Widowed when his
much-loved wife Sheila
died last year, John says he
has been helped by the support of
his many friends and neighbours on the
Island.
He also keeps busy with his various
projects, and has been asked by his book
publisher Stockwell to come up with a
third story in the ‘Vackies’ series. Hence
he is currently working on ‘Vackies Go
Home’ – as well as developing an idea he
has for a different genre of book.
“I’m not exactly a JK Rowling, but the
Vackies books are doing pretty well,
and particularly in the USA and Canada,
because it seems Americans like anything
to do with that period of history” he says.
The books are also selling steadily on
Amazon and, not surprisingly, on the
Island, where John has done a few local
author signing sessions.
He says he retains a lifelong fondness
for Ilfracombe, and has made three return
visits over the years to check out his
childhood haunts.
But he’s clear where his heart really
lies, and it’s here on the Island, which
he describes as ‘home’, with an audible
capital H.
* John’s ‘Vackies’ books can be found at
most bookshops (though not WHSmith)
as well as on Amazon, or the website of
publisher Arthur H. Stockwell.
www.visitilife.com
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