A British film editor, producer and writer of documentary shorts, John began his career at the Crown Film Unit in 1943 before joining British Transport Films in 1951. It was there he worked on films both about and for British Rail until the unit closed in 1982.
John was one of the pioneers of the History Project and conducted more than 50 important interviews over the years. Upon hearing of John's death in 2017 Roy Fowler wrote - "John was a thoroughly estimable person and one very early on a participant in the History Project. His attendance was impeccable, his contributions knowledgeable, precise and highly regarded. How many, I wonder, of those founding members survive? Very few. John was one of the last."