John Shearer

John Shearer may refer to:

John Shearer (priest)

John (Jack) Shearer (30 December 1926 – 12 January 2001), OBE was a Church of Ireland clergyman and the Dean of Belfast cathedral.

He was born in Belfast and educated at Belfast Technical High School before studying at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated in 1950.

He was ordained in 1950. After two years in Magheralin Parish, County Down he served for seven years in St Patrick's Parish, Ballymacarrett, before becoming rector of Magheradoll, Ballynahinch. He then became Rector of Seagoe from 1964 to 1985, becoming Archdeacon of Dromore in 1970. He was appointed Dean of Belfast in 1985.

As dean he worked with his Roman Catholic opposite number to organise combined community services and other bridge building activities. He continued the tradition of the "Black Santa", holding "sitouts" during the Christmas period which raised millions of pounds for charity and in 1993 was awarded the OBE for services to the community. During his time as dean he oversaw the major reorganisation of the Cathedral precincts, the provision of facilities at the West Front for physically challenged persons and dedicated the “Patience”, "Faith" and "Charity" stained glass windows.

J. & D. Shearer

J. & D. Shearer was an engineering and farm machinery manufacturer based in Mannum between 1882 and 1912, founded by John (1845–1932) and David Shearer (1850–1936), and continued separately as John Shearer & Sons of Kilkenny, South Australia, and David Shearer & Co. (later David Shearer Ltd.) of Mannum.

History

John and David Shearer were two of a family of six children born to Peter Shearer (c. 1808 – 31 July 1891) and his wife Mary (c. 1814 – 28 May 1908) in Orkney. The family migrated to South Australia in the Omega, arriving in South Australia on 24 August 1852, living first at Port Adelaide, where their father pursued his trade of stonemason, then at Clare, where the youngest boys attended the local school.

At the age of twelve David left to work on a property at Hoyleton, and after two years enrolled with J. S. Cole's Stanley Grammar School in Watervale for a year's tuition; the fees paid for out of his savings. He then worked for two years at his brother William's blacksmith shop at Leasingham. At age 18 he went to work in W. Patterson & Co.'s foundry in Clare. When that business failed he moved to the other end of town where J. G. Ramsay of Mount Barker had a workshop..