Born in London in 1930, John Maxwell Thompson was an artist who won the Bronze Plaque for Art while at Sidcot. John was one of J.T. Thompson’s nephews, who taught at Sidcot while John was there.  John took the Slade Diploma from the Slade School of Art in 1954, and the Art Teachers' Diploma in 1958. 

Between 1931-38, John lived in Haifa, Palestine, and between 1954-1956, he taught Art and English at Friends School, Brummana, Lebanon, following his National Service.

John worked as Head of Art at Bishop Douglas Comprehensive R.C. School in Finchley between 1963-1989, and was a professional artist, with exhibitions including Willcotts Arts Centre, Potters Bar. He was a committee member of the Society of Catholic Artists, and active in his local Roman Catholic church on ecumenical matters, and on the introduction of art and creative painting into the church's liturgy. 

John was a contemporary of Jonathon Sayce, John Southerst, Kurt Strauss, Phil Morris, Tony Richardson and others, and  painted the portraits of two headteachers, Richard Brayshaw and George Hutchinson, which adorn the walls of the School's Old Library today.    

John is succeeded by his wife Christine (whom he married in Southwark, London, in 1970) and his daughters, Heather and Charlotte.