John Wilkinson joined the QLL to fend off depression after his mother and a close friend died within months of each other. He had been carer to both. He learnt about QLL from a comment by Beth Webster on Eggheads. He began in the Summer Friendly League, joined a team in the autumn and then went on to found Greengage, to which he was unfailingly loyal.
Apart from quizzing, John was passionate about Arsenal FC and the London transport system. He had an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of bus routes. He was also well-informed about cricket and rugby league and often pulled an obscure sports answer out of the hat, to the admiration of seven blank faces around the table.
John was soft-spoken and invariably polite, an old-fashioned gentleman, with a strong sense of fair play. He never claimed to be a great quizzer but had solid knowledge and really enjoyed the challenge.
Caroline Latham
April 2025