Together with his wife Gertrude (née Hartmann), he amassed the Collection that today forms the basis of The Hunt Museum, Limerick, Ireland.
The eldest of five children, John attended King's College School, Cambridge and served two years of military service between 1918 and 1920 before training to become a doctor at St Bartholomew's Hospital.
He also led to the creation of both the Craggaunowen and Lough Gur visitor centres through his interest in prehistory.
In both these domestic settings, they housed and openly displayed their valuable collection.
John married Gertrude Hunt (née Hartmann) in London in 1933.