Rushden Research Group: Graham Penness

Graham Penness

British Citizens Award

Press release : 9th July 2015

Local campaigner receives national award

Graham Penness, currently co-chairman of the Ledsham & Manor action Group, was presented with a British Citizens Award Medal at a ceremony in the palace of Westminster on 9th July.

Baroness Wilcox, Graham Penness and
Duncan Slater (BCA Ambassador)

Graham (78), a retired personnel manager, received the award in recognition of his service to communities in Northants, Bucks and Cheshire, over the past 50 years.

He first became involved in such work when, age 26, he became a founder member and treasurer of a Ratepayers Association in his home town of Rushden, Northants….. within a year he was elected to the Urban District Council as an independent councillor.

After moving to Bucks he quickly became the secretary of the Chalfont St. Giles Residents Association, remaining so for many years, and was soon elected to serve as an independent councillor on both the Chilton rural district council and the local parish council for over 30 years he helped to raise funds for the charity Save the Children in Northants, Bucks and Cheshire and was twice elected to serve as a volunteers’ representative on the fund’s national committee in London, chaired by its president, the Princess Royal.

Since moving to Little Sutton in 1997 Graham has been at the forefront of the campaign against the building of 2000 houses on greenfield farmland off Ledsham Road and will be representing L.A.M.A.G. at the public inquiry on July 14th - 17th.

A pair of cricket boots

Calor Gas football team - Spencer Park - c1965/66

Back row: Graham Penness, unknown, Don (Donza) Johnson, Dave Bayes, unknown, Ted Moksa.

Front row: unknown**, unknown, Jock Lowe, Tony ?, Alan Marchant. (**possibly Danny Davis)

Wearing training bibs - had the proper kit when we joined the League. Courtesy of Keith Brealey

Note sent by Graham in 2019: regarding Clifton House and my surname.

William Penness was my great great uncle – his brother James being my grandfather's father.
William (1855-1920) was married and had one daughter, Maud, who died, aged 30, but James (1861-1940) and his wife, Eliza Palmer (1864-1948), had 9 children, 7 boys and 2 girls!

My grandfather, James (1892-1972) was their 5th child and 4th son... his son Aubrey (1916-1998) was my father.

Prior to William and James, their father was George (1832-1891) and before him was another William (1803-1863), who was the son of John Penness (1781-unknown) and Judith Wooding who were married in Lavendon Parish Church on 29^th August 1802.

The family have been unable to trace anything earlier than John's d.o.b., perhaps because he couldn't write his name and signed his marriage certificate with a X, and with his name recorded as John Paynis and hers as Julia Wooden!!

I was born in Oakley Road, on 10/02/1937, going to Alfred Street school (1942-1948) and then Wellingborough Grammar school (1948-1953). I lived in the town until 1970 when my job with Calor Gas took me to Slough and a home in Chalfont St. Giles. I now live in Cheshire, 5 miles north of Chester, with my 2nd wife, Joan, with my 3 grown up children and 7 grandchildren all live in Bourne End, Bucks.

Graham died c2020.

His Uncle - Colin Penness