John Rowland Ashton
Encyclopedia
John R. Ashton, MBE
, (1917-2008) was an English writer, lecturer, local historian and educationist whose career blossomed in Sweden. He was the former Chairman of the British Factory. He resided in Gothenburg
, Sweden
with his Swedish wife Torborg.
, England
in 1917. In his early life he studied law in London
. He was employed by the Gothenburg Education Authority as English language teaching consultant in 1952, a post he held until 1982. During this time he co-authored several English language teaching series, published in Sweden and Norway. He also edited English texts for older students in Sweden, Germany and Holland. In 1957 he pioneered an English language teaching series on local television which he wrote and presented. He has also been active in the social life of the British community in Gothenburg being the vice-chairman of the English school 1960 – 1979 and a member of the English Church (St. Andrew’s) Council 1974 – 1998. He was elected a member of the ancient British Factory in 1980 and soon became chairman. He was awarded the MBE
in 1979.
John Ashton died in Gothenburg in 2008.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (1917-2008) was an English writer, lecturer, local historian and educationist whose career blossomed in Sweden. He was the former Chairman of the British Factory. He resided in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with his Swedish wife Torborg.
Biography
John R. Ashton was born in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1917. In his early life he studied law in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was employed by the Gothenburg Education Authority as English language teaching consultant in 1952, a post he held until 1982. During this time he co-authored several English language teaching series, published in Sweden and Norway. He also edited English texts for older students in Sweden, Germany and Holland. In 1957 he pioneered an English language teaching series on local television which he wrote and presented. He has also been active in the social life of the British community in Gothenburg being the vice-chairman of the English school 1960 – 1979 and a member of the English Church (St. Andrew’s) Council 1974 – 1998. He was elected a member of the ancient British Factory in 1980 and soon became chairman. He was awarded the MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1979.
John Ashton died in Gothenburg in 2008.
English language teaching series
- 1957 Out and About - A three-year course for pupils aged 13–16. Published in Sweden
- 1962 Hands Up!, a three-year course for beginners. Published in Sweden and Norway.
- 1975 Contact - a three-year course for pupils aged 13–16. Published in Norway.
History
- 1997 A Short History of the English Church in Gothenburg 1749 – 1997
- 2003 Lives and Livelihoods in Little London; The Story of the British in Gothenburg 1621 – 2001. The book tells the fascinating story of why the British settled in GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
and how a number of English and Scottish merchant families have contributed to the economic and cultural development of the city. Trade across the North SeaNorth SeaIn the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, especially in iron-bars and timber, has for nearly three hundred years been of vast importance in the growth of the port of Gothenburg. The influence of this trade on the commercial and social life of Gothenburg is reflected in that the city is sometimes called Little London.
The story of the lives and livelihoods of members of the Carnegie, ChalmersWilliam ChalmersWilliam Chalmers was a Swedish merchant and freemason. He was born in Gothenburg in 1748 as the son of the Scottish merchant, William Chalmers, Sr., and his Swedish wife, Inga Orre. William Chalmers Jr. was the oldest amongst his brothers James, George Andreas and Charles Chalmers...
, ChapmanFredrik Henrik af ChapmanFredrik Henrik af Chapman was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793...
, Dickson, John Hall, GibsonWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
and KeillerAlexander KeillerAlexander Keiller was an archaeologist and businessman who worked on the site at Avebury in Wiltshire. He used his wealth to acquire a total of of land for preservation, conducted excavations, re-erected stones on the site, and created a museum to interpret the site. He founded the Morven...
families – to name but a few – is told against a backdrop of major historical events in Europe. And that the influence of these families was positive and strong is indicated by the naming of streets in the city after them.