John Alexander Potter moved from Glasgow to London in 1883 as manager of the Shaw, Savill and Albion shipping line. He took up residence in Bexley and, despite his business responsibilities, soon began to take a leading part in village life. He became an influential member of the cricket club and in 1893, on the death of the then President. was elected to fill the vacancy. He held the office several times over the next thirty six years.
He was involved in several momentous event connected with the Club. One of them occurred in 1914. After several years when expenditure had exceeded income, the exasperated committee proposed at the AGM that the Club should be wound up, unless members could provide a scheme for increased support. The motion, which was proposed by Mr. Potter, was debated at length and on being put to the vote was carried; it seems that the Club should have been disbanded, but fortunately Robert Cooper-another prominent resident and a future President intervened to clear the debts, and the Club survived.
Mr Potter appears in a different role in 1922. Mr. Cooper, who by then owned the Club, died and the ground was offered for sale. For several weeks there were fears that the Club would be driven out, but Mr. Potter stepped in to buy it. He immediately offered it to Kent County Cricket Club as a gift. on condition that Bexley be allowed to play on it in perpetuity. To everyone's surprise this offer was turned down by the County; Bexley continued to use the ground, under an informal arrangement with Mr. Potter. for several years until more permanent arrangements were agreed.
In 1929 he, very generously offered the Club a 99 year lease, at a token rent, and it is this lease which has secured the use of the ground ever since.
Apart from securing the cricket ground for the Club, he also bought Bexley Lawn Tennis Club in Parkhurst Road, when it appeared that they might lose their land.
He took a great interest in life in Bexley. There are, for example, records of him campaigning (successfully) for a village library, commenting on the design of the proposed War memorial, writing to the Archbishop of Canterbury about the form of service at St. John's church, and petitioning the railway company about the nuisance from stable manure unloaded at Bexley station.
Mr Potter's business career as a ship broker began with windjammers and ended with large steam driven ships. He was made a CBE for his services. The family home stood next to St John's church on Parkhill Road; the house was replaced by flats some years ago.