In March 2026, John Cudworth died aged 89. John joined Cheadle Hulme Junior School in 1945 and in Senior School played for the 1st XI at cricket and at lacrosse. He was chosen to play for England in 1956.

On leaving CHS he began actuarial studies at Refuge Assurance in Manchester and, after qualifying, joined Refuge’s London Investment office. He became the Chief Investment Officer there and also chaired four other UK listed companies.

In 1987 John was appointed CEO of Refuge at its new headquarters in Wilmslow and therefore moved from Tunbridge Wells to Alderley Edge. Four years later, John became Chairman of United Assurance, which incorporated Refuge. Following his retirement in 1997, John and his wife, Jill (née Cowley - a fellow Old Waconian who served as a CHS governor between 1989 and 1997) moved to Bath. Connections to CHS have extended across both John’s and Jill’s families and their daughter, Christina, was a 1989 leaver.