John Petter was born in Yeovil, Somerset, England on 27 September 1879. He was articled to Edwin Seward (1853-1924) in Cardiff from 1897 to 1901 and remained with him for the rest of the year. He was then employed as an assistant to John Skipper (1856-1948) in Norwich, Norfolk from 1902 to 1904; and to George Ransome (1852-1910) in Cape Town, South Africa from 1904 to 1908. In 1908 he returned to Yeovil where he set up his own architectural practice.
Petter was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1921. His address was given as 15 High Street, Yeovil, Somerset in 1891; Church Street, Yeovil, Somerset in 1911 and 1914; Old Sarum", Yeovil, Somerset in 1923 and 1926; and "Croyde", East Coker Road, Yeovil, Somerset in 1939. He died in Yeovil, Somerset in 1958
Reconstruction of "Houghton," Bassett. Southampton: additions to factory at Yeovil; and new factory at Frome for Messrs. St. Ivel, Ltd.; Westland works and head offices, Yeovil, for Messrs. Potters, Ltd.; additions to St. Winifreds, Combe Down, Bath; cottages at Winterbourne Stickland; additions to Suddon Grange, near Wincanton; additions to "Strangways", Marnhull: new schools and special subjects centre for Yeovil Education Committee; new clock tower, Yeovil Town Hall; Housing Schemes for: — Yeovil Corporation (3), Yeovil Rural District Council (17), Wincanton Rural District Council (10), Wells Rural District Council (5), and Clutton Rural District Council (3. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1923]
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects vol. 65, 1958 p. 326
Who's Who in Architecture 1926. Edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: The Architectural Press, 1926