John Lea is a graduate of London University and of Trinity College of Music, London. He served in the RAF before teacher training at the Institute of Education of London University. He taught English for forty years in various schools, including Brentwood School, Essex, before becoming headmaster of Ryde Junior School on the Isle of Wight and then headmaster of Downside Preparatory School in Surrey for fifteen years. He has served as organist and director of music at various churches, notably at Ryde Parish Church for over twenty years and was chairman of the Isle of Wight Festival of Music, Drama and Dance for thirteen years. In retirement, John has now found time to write his children's books, 'The Vackie Heroes', 'Vackies in Trouble' and 'Vackies For Ever!', based loosely on his time as an evacuee in 1941-2 in Ilfracombe, a place which holds many happy memories for him even of those dark days.