After St Bees he came home to Culgaith to work with his father on the farm. He loved his work and soon joined Penrith Young Farmers, where he also made friends for life.
It was when he was with a young farming friend in Carlisle that he met his wife Ann, who was at Art College at the time in 1963. Three years later they were married in St Michael’s Church, Dumfries, her home town.
Not long after, John and Ann moved to the family farm, which John began to modernise during the 1980s and 90s. Four children followed: Stephen, the Managing Director of PFK in Penrith; Stuart, Senior Coach at Leinster Rugby Club in Dublin; Fiona, who has a happy and successful life with her family in Wilmslow; and David, who works as a barrister in London.
Of the four children, Stephen, Stuart and Fiona attended St Bees during the 1980s: Stephen (FN 79-86) Stuart (FN/AC 80-88) Fiona (G 82-90). Like their father, they also made many friends and feel that St Bees made a significant impact on shaping their personalities and sense of independence.
John ran a very successful dairy, beef and sheep farm around Culgaith for all of his adult life. However, foot and mouth, which was devastating for the whole of the farming community in Cumbria, struck in 2001 and Lime Tree Farm was also affected. He restocked with beef and sheep and continued to farm right up until his untimely passing.
John was a kind man, a real gentleman. He loved animals and never saw work as work. He was a man of great integrity and his patient, balanced demeanour helped hugely in managing the farm and in helping Ann to bring up four young children so well.
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