John MacMillan

John MacMillan was educated at Winchester School, and after doing two years National Service, went to New College, Oxford, to read law. Although he never rowed in the Boat Race, MacMillan was a member of the Oxford “B” crew for the 1950 race. He was also a member of the coxed fours at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics that narrowly missed out on the bronze medal after finishing fourth. John MacMillan was one of two rowers by that name to be in the 1952 Great Britain Olympic squad, the other being John MacMillan

MacMillan did go on to win international medals as a member of the England team at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. He collected a silver medal as a member of the eights and a bronze with the coxed fours. He was one-time captain of the Thames Rowing Club, and was also a member of the Leander Club. Despite being one of the 13 men originally named for the 1956 Olympic eights in Melbourne, MacMillan never made the final selection.

After university, MacMillan followed family tradition and became a Lloyds underwriter in the City of London. He also enjoyed playing golf, and was a past captain of Launceston Golf Club, Cornwall. MacMillan was a lover of fine wines, and enjoyed British and European history. He was also a keen churchgoer and was an accomplished bell-ringer and tower master and, additionally, was also a churchwarden. At Oxford he was a member of the Oxford University Society of Change Ringers.