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John Bloom (born 1931), is an English entrepreneur, known for his success and failure at the Rolls Razor company in selling washing machines in the early 1960s. A tailor's son, he was born to orthodox Jewish parents in London's East End. Bloom's father Sam was born in Poland, and his mother was of Sephardic background. He attended Hackney Downs School. After leaving school aged 16, he tried a number of schemes before enlisting in the Royal Air Force. Bloom was initially posted to No3 Radio School at RAF Compton Bassett near Calne, Wiltshire for his training as a signalman. The local coach... MORE

John Bloom (born 1931), is an English entrepreneur, known for his success and failure at the Rolls Razor company in selling washing machines in the early 1960s. A tailor's son, he was born to orthodox Jewish parents in London's East End. Bloom's father Sam was born in Poland, and his mother was of Sephardic background. He attended Hackney Downs School. After leaving school aged 16, he tried a number of schemes before enlisting in the Royal Air Force. Bloom was initially posted to No3 Radio School at RAF Compton Bassett near Calne, Wiltshire for his training as a signalman. The local coach company Cards of Devizes provided contracted coaches to the RAF, which on a Saturday afternoon would take the airmen to London on their 36 hour passes. Bloom decided with a friend who ran a coach company in Stoke Newington that they could undercut the Card/RAF's coaches by half. When Cards took Bloom to court, the judge upheld Bloom with a declaration that became Bloom's motto: "It's no sin to make a profit." Bloom was later posted to Bletchley Park and then managed to get a posting to Bush House in the Aldwych, on the grounds that his mother was unwell. She died several years later from a form of LESS