John Alfred Valentine Butler, 14 February 1899 - 16 July 1977

Abstract

John Alfred Valentine Butler (always known to his friends and colleagues as J.A.V.) was born on 14 February 1899 at Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. His father Alfred Butler (1860-1930) came from Sedgeberrow near Evesham and was employed by his own father until about 1904. He then set up as a farmer on his own account, first at Postlip near Winchcombe and later at Langley Farm nearer Winchcombe. J.A.V.’s mother (1861-1952), Mary Ann Powell, came from Hartlebury near Kidderminster. She was at one time in the household of the Bishop of Worcester near Hartlebury and later in that of Emma Dent at Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe. John was the eldest of three children. His sister Frances died in 1914. His younger sister Doris, of whom more later, married W. J. Margrett. Little is known of the ancestry. J.A.V.’s grandfather (John Butler) was probably born near Berkeley, Gloucestershire, and moved to Evesham and later to Sudeley near Winchcombe, where he farmed Home Farm at Sudeley Castle. J.A.V. was thus of Cotswold farming stock and rightly proud of it.