hɪz fˈɑːðɚ wʌz sɚvˈeɪɚɹ ʌv mɚɹˈiːn vˈɪktʃuːəlz, wˌaɪl ðə sənt dʒˈɑːnz ˈoʊnd lˈɑːɹdʒ ᵻstˈeɪts ɪn lˈɪdɪɚd tɹˈɛɡoʊz ænd ˈaɪɚlənd ænd wɜː kənˈɛktᵻd baɪ mˈæɹɪdʒ tə ðə pˈaʊɚfəl vˈɪlɪɹz fˈæmɪli.
His father was Surveyor of Marine Victuals, while the St Johns owned large estates in Lydiard Tregoze and Ireland and were connected by marriage to the powerful Villiers family.