STANLEY  JOHN (1911-2003)

Stanley John joined Kent College as a boarder in 1924 aged 13 after living in France and completing four years at a small French elementary primary school.

During his five years at KC the school was able to launch into a period of outstanding achievements scholastically as well as sporting.  Stanley entered fully into the life of the school: a good swimmer, he played cricket and hockey and was popular with both staff and boys.

Being bi-lingual when he left school he was able to find a post in the Paris branch of Maples, the British furnishing company.  In the mid 1930s he moved back to London, working for Harrods of Knightsbridge in their antique furniture department.  This included dealing with foreign embassies and here again his linguistic abilities proved invaluable.  He eventually became branch manager of the department.

With the outbreak of war in 1939 Stanley volunteered for military service, training as an operator in the then highly secret Radio Direction Finding branch, later known as radar.  He saw active service in Italy (where he taught himself Italian) as well as in France.  Many of his wartime experiences were amusingly and characteristically chronicled in his book: ‘Rambles with Radar;’ published in 1996.

A member of the Old Canterburian Club since leaving KC, Stanley was a regular and active attender at reunions.  He was for many years a member of the Club committee.    Elected Secretary in 1951, he held the past for 11 years and in 1962 was elected President.  This honour pleased him deeply and he wrote in the KC Centenary book: ‘one of the main influences of KC at that time (the 1930s) and which I sincerely hope has remained until the present day, was the effect of the Old Boys and their association with the school’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Stanley John certainly fostered this relationship with Club and School during his many years as an Old Canterburian.  His warm smile and avuncular manner ensured him many friends among Club members, school staff and pupils.