John Holloway (29 May 1936 - 20 Jul 2022)

In loving memory of John Holloway who sadly passed away on 20th July 2022
John was born to William (Bill), a builder at the time, and Vera Holloway on 29th May 1936 - just before war broke out in Europe. When John was just 5 or 6 years old he was evacuated, as were thousands of children in that generation. He went to live with some relatives in Cumbria. This period of John’s life proved to be very difficult for him. He was From London and found this new environment very tough and a hard way of life. He had little schooling, so not the greatest of starts.
When he returned home, the family was still growing and they moved from their home in London, to Suffolk, his parents had also “become religious”, and there was a fairly hard, strict regime in place. As John grew this hardened him a great deal to this form of Christianity, and in order to escape the home and the unfamiliar farm working environment, when he was old enough he joined the army. This was probably jumping from the frying pan into the fire as far as trying to escape discipline goes. However, he wasn’t in the army for long when he developed a bad stomach ulcer. In fact, this was a genuinely serious condition. Eventually he was medically discharged out of military service but this debilitating complaint and its consequences, which were ongoing, did colour his reputation during his working life. He suffered chronic fatigue and struggled to always do everything everyone else had the capacity to do.
John met June, his faithful, loving wife - for 63 years, at tent missions in and around Debenham. Just after their wedding one of John’s ulcers actually burst and he was rushed to A&E. Thus extremely early on their marriage June had to face the very real prospect that she might lose her husband – quite a traumatic time as you can imagine. June had to pray “Thy will be done”, and through the years this prayer became the attitude of her heart. Sometimes it was her only way of being able to negotiate the erratic impulses that John sometimes displayed. She knew that trying to inhibit him would be fruitless and she, faithfully, let John be John. John’s first job was driving people around. He liked people and he liked vehicles and this was a way to combine the two. Then He had a job selling household products door to door – brushes and the like. All through John’ life he was looking for a deal or setting up a deal. He then became a skilled welder at Ransomes in Ipswich. He loved mechanics and machinery. In his lifetime he owned all sorts – tractors, vans, trucks a bus and even an Ambulance (Yes he was an ambulance driver once as well) and lots of trailers. His first lorry he bought when he had done a deal on a job lot of metal cabinets and wardrobes. He didn’t have a way to transport them – so he bought a lorry for the job! Then he realised he needed a special licence for driving such beasts, so he got an HGV class 1 licence and had sizeable stints as a lorry driver. He even drove a lorry-load of donations to an orphanage in Romania. It was at this sort of time that John started his auto jumbles that John became well known for – selling at many regional agricultural and steam shows. Initially it was for charity – for the orphanages, but when he did well, he realised that he could add this mode of business to his skill set.

However, John did also do work that wasn’t self-directed. For a time, he retrained, enhancing his welding skills and working as a pipe welder on the oil rigs. He had many stories to tell of engineering adventures. Returning from the rigs he would bring things home with him. He bought home fish that had been caught from the rig and one time came back with a blown-about homing pigeon that had lost its bearings. He took advice and kept the pigeon at home to try and establish their house as its new home, but when he let it go it just flew away. One time at a show, a stray cat made a friend in John, he came home too.
As I said earlier John loved people and often brought people home for June to make cups of tea or meals for. June didn’t know quite who would be turning up for tea – this was all part of the adventure. Over the years several people have stayed too – before they moved on to other things.
With a store of engineering knowledge John rebuilt engines for family members, but also for his racing career. He would tune up engines and race them all over the place with his race partner Mick.
One of John’s signature activities over the years has been welding. At some of the agricultural shows John would demonstrate his welding abilities. Alongside his demonstration was an open book where he would take bookings from farmers and agricultural workers for tuition. After the shows he would travel round the country fulfilling the appointments, teaching and then selling equipment and supplies. Many farmers bought their first ever welder and benefitted from his tuition and expertise.
June’s parents came to need help with a shop that they owned in Stradbroke. June and John sold up their home in Capel St Mary and moved the family to help run that shop. John would travel around to sell welders and various equipment as well as working on schemes related to the business and had plenty of ideas about this, once when everyone lost power, John was there with a generator and the shop was the only place open.
John loved his family and was generous and loved Christmas and big occasions, he was a great family man and so many wonderful memories have been made over the years with the family and friends.
He was also impulsive and sometimes erratic, he would often become so laser focussed on what he wanted to do and didn’t take too kindly to people getting in his way, or not doing things his way. He followed the impulses of his own imagination and often acted on how he dreamed things should work out if he stayed his course – and dragged as many people along with him as he could. He had so many dreams, full of good intentions, John was a very slight, but immensely strong man, he survived several spells on hospital with serious illnesses including bowl cancer 11 years ago and was on regular medication – he struggled at times with fatigue and impatience, but underneath always wanted to do the best he could.
As you are all probably aware, we expected to have an event like this about two years ago, but the fact that we are two years overdue just demonstrates his sheer determination. There was no law of diminishing intent with John. Even from his hospital bed he was trying to organise people to get him and all his stuff to the next steam show somewhere. He seemed to be always pushing for that winning goal in extra time – but the final whistle blew.
Having had an uncomfortable start in Christian things, in later years John became more aware of Who God is. He accepted Christ and all He had done for him but, I think, found it difficult sometimes to forget the feelings he had to certain religious fervour he experienced those years before. There is a hymn called “There’s a Wildness In God’s mercy” and one of the lines says “And we magnify His strictness, with a zeal He will not own”.
You, like half of East Anglia, may have had a particular verse from scripture quoted at you by John. I will be reading that scripture very soon. It was very evident to John, the power and significance of this verse. He always emphasised to everyone – Police, Ambulance drivers, you, doctors, nurses and anybody else who got in his way that ANYBODY, regardless of background, level of intellect or intelligence, ANYBODY can come in repentance and faith towards God, and He who sees the heart can forgive and bring into a relation ship with Him. “WHOSOEVER” John would say.
John was very hospitable and loved to chat to people and share stories. He had as many stories, as he did those peculiar and random items for sale in his auto jumble stock. It’s certainly difficult to mention them all here! He was ready to have a smile with people and loved to have hearers. His family love and miss him more than he could ever realise.. We shall all miss John a great deal.