He graduated from Sutton High School in 1942 and then went on to serve in the United States Air Force.John worked as a superintendent and clerk of the works for Bozenhard Construction Company for many years.
He appreciated beauty when he saw it after 40 years as clerk of the works, and he also had the benefit of years of experience of working with people and buildings.
But Henry Winstanley, a close friend of both William and Wren, would, the King considered, be the ideal man to tackle the project and could be granted time off from acting as the monarch's Clerk of the Works at Audley End and Newmarket Palaces.