Background
He was born in Longbenton, Tynemouth and educated at Durham School.
He was born in Longbenton, Tynemouth and educated at Durham School.
In addition to his writing work, after serving in the Admiralty between 1940-1945, he worked as a banker from 1924-1937, a company secretary from 1937-1939, and finally as a sales promotion executive, from 1945-1963. He had one sister, (Desirée Rachel) Helen Coulson, born 12 June 1905. She died in a car accident on the M4, west of London in 1970.
Penguin book cover blurb: ‘’John, besides having imagination and plot-sense, has also grammar, spelling and a sense of humour and from the time they met he has done most of the spadework on his wife’s stories.’’.