Born in Little Hulton on 21st November in 1880, the son of the Master Blacksmith, Peter Yates and his wife Betsy, John was living with his parents at 19 Harriet Street and employed as a watchmaker by 1901.
By 1907 John was married to Gertrude Evans and by 1921 he was trading as a Watch repairer and Jeweller at 13 Bolton Road, in Walkden.
By 1939 he was listed as a Watchmaker and Optician, and was engaged in war work in the Air Raid Precaution Service (ARP)
By 1st November 1959 when he died, John Thomas Yates was living at 5 Ellenbrook Road Boothstown.
They had two sons Kenneth Evans Yates and Rex Evans Yates, rex followed his father into the Optician business, setting up in Aberystwyth.