He was born in the Cockney area of London to a Jewish rabbinical family, but was raised mainly in Germany and Spain, returning to England in 1931, which resulted in his trademark hard-to-pin-down accent.
Cargher was interned on the Isle of Man in the Hutchinson Camp during World War II as part of the British Government's policy of interring those who they thought may be sympathetic to the Nazi regime.
His many occupations included: aircraftman, art dealer, art exhibition organiser, assistant cameraman (films), author, ballet administrator, broadcaster, building designer, comedy writer, compere, concert promoter and manager, critic, diamond merchant, impresario, intimate revue pioneer, journalist, lecturer, mechanical engineer, opera producer, photographer, radio programmer, record producer, record retailer, recorded books reader, schools administrator, television presenter, theatre manager, theatrical agent, toolmaker and turner-fitter.
Every recording John Cargher played throughout the program's 42-year run was from his own private collection, which he built on the couple of hundred 78s he brought to Australia.
[6] After his death, the ABC released a 3-CD tribute to Cargher, with 2 complete episodes of Singers of Renown, and some excerpts from his Music for Pleasure programs.