John Laurence Tann was an English rower

Rowing (sport)

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

 who won the Wingfield Sculls, the amateur single scull

Single scull

A single scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand....

ing championship of the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

, in 1914.

Tann was born at Holborn, the son of Edward Tann. The Tann family were the first in the business of manufacturing iron safes. Tann studied engineering at London University

University of London

-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...

 and entered the family safe business. He joined Thames Rowing Club

Thames Rowing Club

Thames Rowing Club is a rowing club situated on the River Thames in Putney, London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1860.-Club colours:Red, white and black in stripes, the white stripe lying between the red and black and being of half their width....

 and in 1914 won the Wingfield Sculls and the London Cup at the Metropolitan Regatta

Metropolitan Regatta

The Metropolitan Regatta is an international rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA...

.

Tann was an Associate Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and obtained patents relating to safes. Tann was the last member of the family to run the safe making company, and having no male heir, sold the business in 1965.

Tann married Christine X Bevan at Wandsworth in 1916. His grandson Tim Crooks

Tim Crooks

Timothy John Crooks is a former British rower who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was seven times winner at Henley Royal Regatta and won the Wingfield Sculls three times....

was an Olympic rower who also won the Wingfield Sculls.