Kendall, John – Grantham solicitor was always in good voice

John Charles Vicary Kendall (1947 – 2016)

Born in Chesterfield, he was a pupil at the town’s Free Grammar School.

After leaving school in 1965, John went on to London University to study Law. At the end of his second year however, having failed his exams, he left and became articled to a solicitor.

He was still in London in 1969 when he met Elizabeth (Liz), who was training to be a physiotherapist. They married, and remained so for 45 years.

In 1972 John successfully applied for a position in Grantham as assistant to a solicitor in a newly opened office and took on responsibility for criminal cases, eventually becoming a partner in the firm.

His career there spanned more than 30 years during which time he gained a reputation as the best local defence solicitor to act for you in court.

He firmly believed that the accused person’s version of events should be heard. His firm went through various mergers, include Close-Kendall, until it became part of a regional practice.

Among his clients was killer nurse Beverly Allitt.

He and Liz made their home at Hungerton.

Both John and Liz were members of Grantham Choral Society for many years and they were active in their local church, Johns serving as churchwarden.

After his retirement, they moved in 2007 to Liz’s family home near Stowmarket in Suffolk, where John then served as a magistrate.

Again they both played a prominent part in church life, helping with fund raising, and John helped to restart a church choir, of which he became a member.

He also belonged to, and was secretary of, the St Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir.

He was the co-author, with M P Jackson, of A History of the Free Grammar School, Chesterfield, which they wrote on completion of a research project in which they had taken part while they were in the Upper 6th form

John was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 died in October 2016.