COMPANION

John Skinner

John Skinner (1912–92), Australian-born British teacher of the Technique.

Skinner served in the Royal Australian Air Force, and was a POW under the Japanese. He had read of Alexander’s work in Aldous Huxley’s Ends and Means and wrote immediately after the war to Alexander who responded encouragingly. Skinner arrived in London in December 1945, started training in November 1946 and soon afterwards took over the job of secretary from Walter Carrington. He was secretary and administrator and gave great support to Alexander during difficult times: the South African Trial and Alexander’s stroke. After Alexander’s death in 1955 he remained secretary of the teaching practice and the training course continued by Walter Carrington, Margaret Goldie, Irene Stewart and Peggy Williams. After the training course moved to Holland Park in 1962 he carried on his individual teaching practice, sharing premises with Margaret Goldie, in Soho Square.[1] [2]

There are no known writings by John Skinner. He is mentioned in Walter Carrington’s 1946 diary.[3] He produced an affidavit for the case Beaumont Alexander and others vs. Margaret Goldie and others, as he was a defendant in the case.[4]

Obituaries

  • ‘John Skinner’ by Walter Carrington.[5]
  • ‘John Skinner’ by Margaret Goldie.[6]

John Skinner *26 February 1912 - †3 June 1992.

See also Beaumont Alexander vs. Margaret Goldie.

References

[1] ‘John Skinner’ by Walter Carrington, STAT News vol. 4 no. 4, September 1992, p. 11.
[2] ‘John Skinner’ by Margaret Goldie, STAT News vol. 4 no. 4, September 1992, p. 11.
[3] A Time to Remember by Walter H. M. Carrington (The Sheildrake Press, 1996).
[4] Beaumont Alexander and others vs. Margaret Goldie and others. Letters and documents pertaining to the case in the Walter Carrington Educational Trust Archives and the Ethel Webb/John Skinner collection, now part of the Jean M. O. Fischer collection.
[5] ‘John Skinner’ by Walter Carrington, STAT News vol. 4 no. 4, September 1992, p. 11.
[6] ‘John Skinner’ by Margaret Goldie, STAT News vol. 4 no. 4, September 1992, p. 11.