John Banks (activist)

John Croisdale Banks (born June 1915) was an English political activist and writer, noted for his work on the territorial aspects of constitutional reform.

Banks was born in Kent in June 1915. He was educated at Chatham House Grammar School, Ramsgate (1929-1934), and the University of London, from where he graduated (BSc (Econ)) in June 1936. Between 1936 and 1939 he lectured for the Workers' Educational Association in east Kent and was active in the Left Book Club from 1937.

Banks was embodied in the Royal Artillery (Territorial Army) in August 1939, embarking for the Middle East as Quartermaster in December 1940. In March 1942 he transferred to the Army Educational Corps and was commissioned in July 1942. Between September 1942 and March 1944 he served as Staff Captain at GHQ Middle East Forces, Cairo, where he was Middle East editor of the Army publications Current Affairs, War and British Way and Purpose. He saw service with 3 Corps (Palestine), 56 London Division (Italy) and 5 Corps (Italy) between March 1944 and April 1945. Following postings to Liverpool, Tenby and London District (May 1945 to February 1946), he was discharged in the rank of Major.

From February 1946 to September 1948, Banks was employed as Research Officer by the Institute of the Motor Industry. He then took up a post as Lecturer (later Senior Lecturer, then Principal Lecturer) in Public Administration at Kingston Technical College (later Kingston College of Technology), where he remained until 1969. After a year as Head of the School of Business, Kingston Polytechnic, he became Reader in Public Administration at the University of the South Pacific (1970-1974). He returned to Kingston Polytechnic as Head of Learning Resources from 1975 until his retirement in 1977.

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