John Hutson was born 21 October 1927, the son of John Hutson and Jean Greenlees Laird; in 1954 he married 1954, Doris Kemp. He was educated at Hamilton Academy, then Glasgow University. (MA (Hons). MIL 1987.

After serving in the Forces, 1949-51, Hutson entered the Foreign Office in 1951. His positions included: Third Secretary, Prague [Czechoslovakia, later Czech Republic], 1953; FO, 1955; Second Secretary, Berlin [Berlin], 1956; Saigon [Vietnam], 1959; First Secretary, 1961; Consul (Commercial) San Francisco [United States], 1963-67; First Secretary and Head of Chancery, Sofia [Bulgaria], 1967-69; FCO, 1969; Counsellor, 1970; Baghdad [Iraq], 1971-72; Inspector, FCO, 1972-74; Head, Communications Operations Department, FCO, 1974-76; Counsellor (Commercial), Moscow [Soviet Union], 1976-79; Consul-General, Frankfurt [Germany], 1979-83; Consul-General, Casablanca [Morocco], 1984-87.

Hutson was awarded the OBE in 1966.