Draft:John Meardon - Wikipedia - Recent changes [en]

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Brigadier John Meardon DL

Born: 1947, Devon, England
Nationality: British
Occupation: Retired Royal Marines officer; Receiver General of Canterbury Cathedral; Master of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters; Deputy Lieutenant of Kent (since 2007)

Known for: Military leadership, heritage conservation, civic service

== Early life and military career ==

John Meardon was born in 1947 in Devon and raised in Sussex.<ref>https://www.carpentersco.com/election-of-master-and-wardens-2022-23/</ref> He attended Royal Marines training and went on to serve for 34 years. His career included Commando and parachute training, followed by work as an army helicopter pilot flying Sioux, Scout, Gazelle and Lynx helicopters in reconnaissance and anti-tank roles, including Arctic deployment.<ref>https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=631304&ClubID=744</ref> He was staff-trained across all three services (Navy, Army and RAF), later commanding a helicopter squadron and 43 Commando Royal Marines, which protected the UK’s nuclear submarines and ballistic missiles.<ref>https://www.carpentersco.com/election-of-master-and-wardens-2022-23/</ref>

He held a number of senior appointments including Amphibious Operations Officer on HMS Hermes (1980), desk officer for Northern Ireland and Special Forces (1987), Colonel GS RM (1992), and Director of Naval Security (1994). He retired from active service in 1998.<ref>https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=631304&ClubID=744</ref>

== Civilian life and heritage leadership ==

Following his retirement from the military, Meardon was appointed Receiver General (chief executive) of Canterbury Cathedral in 1998, a post he held for 18 years.<ref>https://www.carpentersco.com/election-of-master-and-wardens-2022-23/</ref> His time in office included overseeing major conservation efforts, Royal visits, two Lambeth Conferences, and the construction of the Cathedral Lodge.

He also helped found the Cathedrals Workshop Fellowship to train young heritage professionals. He played a leading role in the installation of a traditional Armenian khachkar (stone cross) in the Cathedral’s Memorial Garden, a project led by Armenian sculptor Vartan Moskofian and completed in 2019.<ref>https://favershamlife.org/an-armenian-symbol-of-reconciliation/</ref>

== Livery and civic service ==

Meardon joined the Worshipful Company of Carpenters in 2009, initially through his connection to the Building Crafts College.<ref>https://www.carpentersco.com/election-of-master-and-wardens-2022-23/</ref> He later became a Court Assistant and was elected Master of the Company for 2022–23. A formal signing ceremony marking his election was recorded in August 2022.<ref>https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-receiver-general-brigadier-john-meardon-left-and-a-representative-106851202.html</ref>

He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Kent in 2007.<ref>https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/honour-for-new-deputy-lieutenant-a34627/</ref>

== Personal life ==

Meardon lives in Canterbury with his wife, Ann. He has three children and six grandchildren.<ref>https://www.carpentersco.com/election-of-master-and-wardens-2022-23/</ref> His hobbies include beekeeping, archaeology, choral music, and stone and wood carving. He contributed to the carving of the Armenian khachkar now displayed at Canterbury Cathedral.<ref>https://favershamlife.org/an-armenian-symbol-of-reconciliation/</ref>

== Selected talks ==

In 2017, Meardon was a guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Canterbury Sunrise, where he gave a talk titled "Royal Marines / Past Receiver General Canterbury Cathedral".<ref>https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=631304&ClubID=744</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

== Categories ==
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Royal Marines officers]]
[[Category:Deputy Lieutenants of Kent]]
[[Category:Cathedral administrators]]
[[Category:Masters of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters]]



== References ==
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