title: John Rowland Ashton
text: # John Rowland Ashton
  
  John R. Ashton MBE (1917–2008) was an English writer, lecturer, local historian and educationist active in Sweden. He was the former chairman of the British Factory. He resided in Gothenburg, Sweden, with his Swedish wife Torborg.
  
  ## Biography
  
  John Rowland Ashton was born in Manchester, England, in 1917.
  
  In his early life he studied law in London. He was employed by the Gothenburg Education Authority as English language teaching consultant in 1952, a post he held until 1982. During this time he co-authored several English language teaching series, published in Sweden and Norway. He also edited English texts for older students in Sweden, Germany and Holland. In 1957 he pioneered an English language teaching series on local television which he wrote and presented. He has also been active in the social life of the British community in Gothenburg being the vice-chairman of the English school (1960–1979) and a member of the English Church (St. Andrew’s) Council (1974–1998). He was elected a member of the ancient British Factory in 1980 and soon became chairman. He was awarded the MBE in 1979. John Ashton died in Gothenburg in 2008.
  
  