John and his close friend the late Alan Palmer played a very active part in a number of recorded music groups. John enjoyed belonging to them all, but eventually health took its toll and when he became dependant on a mobility scooter Carshalton and Wallington RMS was the only group sufficiently close for him to attend.

John and Alan took over from the Honorary Secretary of West Wimbledon Opera Club, Andrew Woolway, when he became too ill to continue. It was thanks to them that John Steane, the authority on historic vocal recordings, gave several programmes. Even now, I marvel that John and Alan achieved so much, particularly in later years, when neither of them were in the best of health.

John's principal recorded music interests were operatic singers of the distant (and occasionally not so distant) past, and pianists of more recent times. Among singers, the bass Oscar Natzka was a great favourite. John possessed many of Natzka's recordings including imports which, when he included them in his presentations, seemed a revelation to me.

Adrian Falks
(Former chairman of Croydon RMS, now disbanded)