John came to live in Chipperfield after his marriage in 1969 when he and Ann were offered a ‘Waterhouse cottage in Kings Lane. He lived in the village for the rest o his life with one short break when he built his own home in Grove Hill, Hemel Hempstead. He and Ann and the family returned to live in Corner Cottage in 1976 and in 1987 he built another house for the family in Scatterdells Lane.
During his time in Chipperfield he served as a Parish Councillor and was active for many years on the committee of the village football club, eventually helping them to secure the lease on their ground from Forte. In latter years he had become particularly involved in St Pauls Church and at the time of his death was advising them on practical matters regarding their hoped-for extension.
Phillips Construction, under his direction, built many well known buildings in and around the village – the classroom extension to St. Pauls School, St. Pauls Court, The new Clock Tower in Chesham High Street and the Barbirolli Hall at St. Clement Danes School, to name but a few. His joinery company, J.L. Phillips Joinery is well known throughout the ‘trade for the high quality work it produces, including the recently completed new library for Merchant Taylors School.
John will be greatly missed by his family and friends. His death seems particularly untimely, as he had recently begun to feel better after his problems of the past year.