John Arthur Campbell OBE (1878-1947)

JOHN Campbell spent the last 40 years of his life in Grantham, and he certainly made a big difference for the residents.

Born in North Runcton, near King’s Lynn, he was the son of a cattle dealer and judge, who bought for King Edward VII for the Sandringham Estate.

Educated at Bury St Edmunds, Mr Campbell – his birthname was Gamble – was put to several apprenticeships which failed, including one from which he ran away.

The wild one of the family, he joined a company of actors and after training went on tour of the Home Counties. It was there he met fellow thespian Mary Fulton (real name Mary Worger) whom he married.

But he soon realised he was no great actor and his wife persuaded him to go ‘front-of-house and by the age of 23 he was running his own touring company of

In 1907, after several visits to the theatre, he decided to buy the Theatre Royal, George Street.

By 1914 he had five touring companies, but as Grantham was major Army centre, they were devoted to entertaining troops.

He was also a fine raconteur and at the end of hostilities he was awarded an OBE for his services to the troops.

During the Great War, he also formed a company that built the Picture House and cafe on St Peter’s Hill and later took over the Exchange Hall, High Street, which he turned into the Central cinema.

In 1923 he also took over the Theatre Royal and Empire, Peterborough.

He also wrote a couple of plays. Queen at Seventeen was produced at the Princes Theatre, London in 1914 and The Coastguard’s Daughter in 1926.

He was an active Freemason.

Mr Campbell, who lived first at Welby Gardens before moving to Summer End, Barrowby Road (later St Barnabas Hospice) had two children, the best known being daughter, June Mary Birkin – better known as actress Miss Judy Campbell.

There is a plaque to his memory near the St Peter’s Hill entrance to the Isaac Newton Centre.