PEN-PICTURES OF SOME SPECIAL PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN

(4)  JOHN CONSTABLE

John at Priscilla Macleod's 21st

John Constable - a true “officer and gentleman” - was born and raised in Great Britain. He is the son of an aristocratic Englishman and, along with a sister and two brothers, was raised in the finest of British traditions where he attended a public school and later worked in property and finance in the City of London. His hobby to this day is motor cars (especially vintage cars) and he relates how he once raced with celebrated British racing driver, Stirling Moss!

In England, John moved in all circles, which included celebrity film-stars and on occasion even a member or two of the British Royal family. Yet John still remains down to earth and treats and respects everyone, regardless of who or what they are or their status in life, with respect and courtesy. As Rudyard Kipling said in his poem, “IF”, John, to this day, can “walk with crowds or walk with Kings nor lose the common touch”.

One of John Constable's longest-standing South African friends is Guy Macleod whom he met in Cape Town over thirty years ago when he first moved to South Africa. Guy and John later worked together at the same  property and investment firm in Cape Town and it was through knowing Guy that John also met his future wife at the home of Guy's parents in November 1995. John became a good friend, not only of Guy's, but also of the Macleod family and has, inter alia, joined  the Macleod family at their  Christmas Day lunch as well as at many other special family gatherings. John, who knew Guy's two younger daughters and lived, for a short while, at their home in Pinelands when Priscilla was a few months old and her older sister, Robyn, was just two  was also a special speaker on the occasion of  Priscilla's  21st birthday party in August  2006. 

                                                               -  penned by Guy Macleod on 6^th August 2015