Soon after leaving school in 1954, John, a healthy six-foot lad, joined the Merchant Navy and his ship left Liverpool on his sixteenth birthday. Just one year later when his ship had docked in Texas he was taken ill with polio and became paralysed from the neck down. Poliomyelitis (or Infantile Paralysis) was a widespread disease at the time and often fatal. It was particularly severe amongst young people. John fought for his life and being unable to breath, was put into an iron lung and flown home by the American Airforce.
A massive machine, the iron lung was to be his home for the next 16 years, both at the Royal Free Hospital and St. Anne’s in Tottenham. He may well have remained in hospital permanently but then Maggie came into his life. She was his occupational therapist for the next ten years.  John was determined to spend the rest of his life with her, so he proposed and the couple were eventually married in 1971.
They set up home in Breeze Cottage thanks to a legacy provided by John’s late uncle. Technology had now advanced and John was able to breath using a negative-pressure respirator, a much simpler and more portable machine. Operated by an electric pump, this device could be battery operated for a while should the mains fail. John could whistle and with further technology was able to operate the television, phone, computer and even adjust his position whilst lying on his special bed. Maggie was on hand 24 hours a day, keeping him fed and doing the chores. Thankfully, a lot of folk did help and John had many friends.
He was often seen in Chipperfield in his special van with Maggie at the wheel and was able to attend village functions such as Village Day. On one occasion a helicopter took him from the Common on a special trip to London and back. For many years Maggie would take him to watch the polo at Windsor Great Park and Prince Charles took a very special interest in his welfare.
John could be seen on television from time to time, most recently in the “City Hospital” series. As the longest surviving occupant of an iron lung, John often appeared in the Guiness Book of Records and there is a fine picture of him with Maggie in this year’s edition. The book refers to him as a “medical marvel” but John was much more than that. He was an absolute inspiration to all who met him and we are thankful that he and Maggie chose to make their home here in Chipperfield.
Terry Simmonds