The Hockey Museum reports with great sadness the death of John Willmott on 13 October 2025.

John was a highly regarded character familiar to many in the hockey world, and his passing is a great loss to the community. John joined The Hockey Museum as a trustee in 2019 prior to becoming its Chair of Trustees in 2020, a position he held until 2024. John remained a museum trustee after concluding his chairmanship until his death.

John Willmott had hockey in his blood. His involvement with Southgate Hockey Club, where he was past President, with veterans hockey associations and touring teams were extensive. John was known for having attended hockey matches most weeks of his life since birth and was never short of an anecdote in this regard. He was regularly spotted wearing his trademark brightly coloured, eclectic suits in attendance at festivals, both at home and abroad.

John’s enthusiasm for our sport and for The Hockey Museum will be greatly missed by his colleagues and friends, as will his good-humoured interventions around the board table and at our events. The Hockey Museum’s trustees, staff and volunteers send their condolences to Rafia and their family at this sad time.

A fuller obituary will follow in due course.