John Innes:   28 September 1962 – 28 September 2026

John Innes (1980G) passed away suddenly while mountain biking in the Silvermine area on 28 September 2026, his 64th birthday.

John arrived at Bishops for the final two years of his school career. An enthusiastic member of Gray House, he embraced school life and participated actively in cricket, rugby and athletics.

After graduating from UCT with a B.Sc. in Building Science, John worked for Murray and Roberts and in London for several years before establishing his own construction company, Innes Projects cc. He went on to earn an enviable reputation for building intricate, technically challenging homes in the Cape Town area.

John’s athletic and adventurous spirit drew him to demanding physical challenges. He climbed Mont Blanc, completed the multi-day Cape Epic mountain bike race from Knysna to Cape Town and ran several road marathons, including the Two Oceans Marathon, where he earned a coveted medal.

John brought the same energy and commitment to his years as a Bishops parent, becoming closely involved in the Bishops Rowing Club. He was instrumental in the Club’s growth, contributing to the upgrade and expansion of its fleet, the construction of the boat shed at Zeekoevlei, and many hours of umpiring at regattas around the country. He was also Western Cape Rowing President for 3 years.

In recent years, John became involved in AfrikaBurn, where he combined his creative flair and construction knowledge with his love of the outdoors. His contribution included two spectacular art installations created for recent editions of the event.

John is survived by his wife, Nina; his children, Simon (2013G), Oliver (2017G) and Carolyn; and his siblings, Richard, Anthony (1984G) and Mary.

RIP John Innes!

Requiescat in Pace.