John Wagget was the second full-time paediatric surgeon in Newcastle upon Tyne, initially at the Fleming Memorial Hospital for Sick Children and the Babies Hospital, then later at the Royal Victoria Infirmary when both the former hospitals closed. He was born in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, to Charlton Minto Wagget, a junior school head teacher and chairman of Chester-le-Street District Council, and Eva Wagget née Scott, a district nurse. He was educated at Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle, where he loved playing rugby, and then at the medical school of King’s College, Durham University, which was also in Newcastle. As a houseman at the Royal Victoria Infirmary John met Ina Graham, a theatre staff nurse, and they were married in 1963. He had determined that he wanted to be a surgeon but, having won the Sir James Spence prize in paediatrics as an undergraduate, it was apt that, having gained his fellowship in 1966, he opted for the newly emerging specialty of paediatric surgery. Almost all his training was in Newcastle with John Scott, but a Fulbright scholarship enabled him to spend the year of 1969 as assistant chief resident at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia under C Everett Koop, a future surgeon general of the United States. John was appointed as a consultant paediatric surgeon in 1970. Having learned about total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in the surgical neonate unit in Philadelphia he set up that service in the Newcastle unit aided greatly by his close friend the clinical biochemist Gordan Dale. This was a significant advance in the treatment and survival for those patients. John was a skilful and caring surgeon much loved by staff and patients alike. He was also an excellent, very patient educator and many trainees were grateful for his teaching over the years. While he wouldn’t have described himself as an academic, he nevertheless published 30 papers in scientific journals, including several on TPN and the use of acetylcholinesterase assay in rectal biopsies to aid the diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease. He also contributed four chapters to standard paediatric surgical textbooks and presented papers at various learned societies. With Gordan Dale, he wrote a book on the history of the Fleming Hospital at the time of its closure in 1987 (*The Fleming Memorial Hospital for Sick Children, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1887-1987* Newcastle upon Tyne, Bealls, 1987). He also did more than his share of administrative duties, taking on the role of clinical director for paediatrics for six years and serving on many local and national committees. He retired in 1997 for health reasons and, although his health issues were added to over time, he had a long and generally fruitful retirement. John was a devoted family man and he and Ina had three daughters, Kathryn, Lois and Rachel. Outside of the family he maintained his lifelong love of rugby by supporting the Newcastle Falcons, while gardening and hiking were other passions. He also played several roles at his local church and school. He died on 13 December 2021 at the age of 83 and was survived by Ina, his daughters, two grandchildren and his younger sister Vera. His younger brother Eric predeceased him.