John Anthony CANNING

My admiration and thanks for the life and work of Mr Canning, Bradford.
My condolences to all the family.

Thank you and respects for my time with him (1973-5) during his leadership of the Sixth Form

John F King, York

I read this notice with a very heavy heart. JAC (as we all called him) was one of my teachers and then my 6th Form Master at Cardinal Hinsley Grammar School.
JAC was a wonderful, inspiring, tough (and far warmer than his deliberately fashioned external persona suggested, did he ever say anything to the family about how he fashioned this enforcer image? I have a story or two) but fair man. He did a huge amount for me and his support set me on a positive course in life that brings me to where I am today.
I made contact via email around 2019 after probably 45 plus years (!) and we exchanged emails. I now live in London but get back to West Yorkshire periodically to visit family. I asked if I might drop in and see him sometime and catch up on old times and he said yes. Unfortunately, COVID then appeared and this was put on the back burner. I was planning to come up to West Yorkshire in the coming weeks (it is now at the end of March) and had the idea that I should contact Mr Canning again and see if he was free. However, I had lost JAC’s email ID when my email account was hacked during COVID and all my emails deleted by the hacker.
I Googled his name this morning and found this notice. I feel quite bereft that we never got the chance to catch up and for me to say thank you in person for all he did for me.
I can only imagine how awful his loss was to his wife and sons, who I never met.
I’d like to share some of what JAC did for me.
I had a place at university for the 1973 intake but decided to take a year out. I discussed this with JAC and he put me in touch with a Personnel guy (Terry R) who worked for Bradford Council. Terry found me a temporary position at Listers Mill in Manningham Lane Bradford. I then moved into various accommodations in bed sits etc while I worked through my year out. This taught me to stand on my own two feet and take care of myself. All thanks to JAC, but it didn't stop there. This was arguably the second time he had a hand on the tiller of my life, the first being my teacher and guide during school.
I still hadn't made up my mind what I would do after my "year out". JAC was doing research on my behalf (unbeknown to me). He called me and invited me into the school (that I had now left) and shared with me the course that he thought would suit me at Manchester University. Needless to say, I did go to Manchester and I did do the course and JAC was right, it did suit me. So, this was the third time JAC’s hand had steered the tiller of my life.
I so wanted to see him again and tell him all of this. It is only now while in retirement and out of the hustle of bustle of working, that I have had the time to reflect on my life and appreciate some of the people met on the way and what they did for me. It will a huge regret that I never got to tell him how much I appreciate what he did for me.
After my Mum and Dad in joint first place, JAC takes second in terms of impact to what makes me what I am today. I have attached a school photograph from 1972 of the Sixth Form. JAC is at the front and I am on the back row, 7th from the left.
I feel like I have lost a family member. My thoughts and prayers go to JAC’s wife Maureen and his sons John and Thomas and the extended family. I feel very deeply for your loss.