John Cameron came from Brasted in Kent, England and he arrived in Van Diemen's Land in early 1837.
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Later that year he married Eliza Milburn Snell.
They travelled from Hobart to settle in Launceston where their first child, Emma Jane was born in January 1838.
She subsequently married Robert Walker, who became Mayor of Hobart.
John Cameron became a very successful businessman.
He was an original shareholder of the Launceston Gas Company, formed in 1858, a Justice of the Peace for Launceston and surrounding districts, and owned a house and land at the bottom end of St John Street.
He also owned Newnham Hall, and Oakburn on the Paterson's Plains (Elphin) Road.
He had two grants of land in the country, Hawkridge at Snakes Banks (Powranna), and Combe Bank near Ben Lomond.
The Cameron family made several journeys back to England, and their youngest child, Kate, was born in London on March 4, 1856.
John Cameron was a true man of industry and he built several mills in Hobart and Launceston. Ritchie's Mill was one of these.
He also built a flume from the First Basin to the mouth of the Gorge to drive his mill-wheel; during summertime, ever the entrpreneur, he would sell water by the barrel to needy Launceston householders.
He was a supporter of St John's Church and was a churchwarden there in 1839 and 1840.
A small chancel was erected at the east end of St John's in 1866.
Cameron ordered a stained-glass window from the firm of Ferguson & Urie, Melbourne, for the new extension.
However, he died before it arrived in Launceston.
When it did make its way to Tasmania, his daughter Emma gave it to St John’s, where it was erected as Cameron’s memorial.
When the church was extended between 1901 and 1911, the old windows were stored in the tower until 1938.
The main section of the Cameron window was erected in the south clerestory.
The top of the window was not installed due to insufficient space, but the three round features from the top section have been kept in the church archive.
A half-figure of Christ is located at the bottom of a centre light, and above that is the Ascension with the words "I go to prepare a place for you".
On either side are the Apostles, looking at their ascending Lord in awe.
It has a rich, subdued tone and is heavy in substance, which serves to add a sense of strength and permanence to the space.
