John was born on 6 December 1925 at Harbury, Warwickshire. He developed a very early interest in cars and motorbikes; indeed, he was able to decoke a motorbike at the age of 9 and learnt to drive along country tracks at a very early age. He attended Uppingham School and also acquired an interest in Freud. He qualified MBBS at the University of London (Barts) in 1951.