John Iles

{{short description|English musician, cricketer and entrepreneur (1871–1951)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = John Iles

| image =The grave of John Iles in the churchyard of All Saints, Birchington-on-Sea, Kent.jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date|1871|9|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bristol, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|1951|5|29|1871|9|17|df=yes}}

| death_place = Birchington, Kent, England

| batting = Right-handed

| club1 = Gloucestershire

| year1 = 1890–1891

| date = 30 March 2014

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/15417.html Cricinfo

|caption=Grave of Iles}}

John Henry Iles OBE (17 September 1871 – 29 May 1951) was an English entrepreneur, musician and cricketer.{{cite ODNB|id=48777|title=Iles, (John) Henry|first=Dave|last=Russell}} He played for Gloucestershire between 1890 and 1891.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/15417.html |title=John Iles |access-date=30 March 2014 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

In 1898, he acquired the British Bandsman magazine, and in 1900, he founded the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.{{cite web|url=https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2018/1713.asp|title=The Greatest Brass Band Entrepreneur of All - The rise and fall of John Henry Iles|website=4barsrest|date=29 April 2018}}

In 1919 - just before Christmas, Iles purchased the Hall-By-The-Sea in Margate, Kenthttps://www.dreamlandheritagetrust.org.uk/1920s previously run by Lord George Sanger.https://www.dreamlandheritagetrust.org.uk/1860s-1910s He paid £40,000 for the park but spent £500,000 developing his vision of an American style amusement park for Kent which he renamed Dreamland. Almost immediately in 1920 he built the iconic Scenic Railway, now a grade II* listed structure that is still in use and also the oldest rollercoaster in the UK.https://www.fairfields.co.uk/fcs/sectors/leisure/dreamland-scenic-railway/

He was master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians from 1932–3, and inaugurated the John Henry Iles medal in 1947.{{cite web|url=https://www.wcomarchive.org.uk/--john-henry-iles-c7tv|title=The John Henry Iles Medal|website=The Worshipful Company of Musicians}} He was awarded an OBE in 1947 for services to the brass band movement.{{cite web|url=https://www.wcomarchive.org.uk/--jh-iles|title=John Henry Iles|website=The Worshipful Company of Musicians}}