CE20_p90_p91_Sketch Diary 6/8/2009 15:53 Page 1
Column Sketch Diary
Words and illustrations by
Jacqueline Govier
Penrose
We find our host in the kitchen;
Johnny Penrose – reporter, feature Those of you who know
writer, editor, broadcaster - with Cirencester may have wondered what
Michael Parkinson - publisher, is going on at 36 Dollar Street, the
property developer, bon-viveur former premises of Randkine Taylor
and ex-husband of a very Antiques. The building is now clad
famous Annie. Who? We with enough scaffolding and green
remain discreet. But this we tarpaulin to enshroud a major
can say; he is not the Olympian venture. The property has
weakest link! been in serious disrepair and is held
Johnny was preparing lunch together with costly steel stitching.
for twelve. He cooked while we
chatted. He first came to the
Cotswolds as a reporter and stayed
in Bibury when investigating the
R
OOF
Jeremy Thorpe affair: 1976. Remember
down to Johnny’s.
that anyone? Wasn’t there a dog called
Fairweather cumulous.
Rinka shot dead?
In later years Penrose was to be
Blurred hedgerows. Ampney associated with that other shadowy figure
st Mary. Electronic gates
Robert Maxwell, newspaper tycoon and
open and the Audi’s wheels
scoundrel. Johnny was an executive on
the Daily Mirror, then owned by ‘Captain
displace the gravel with a
Bob.’ Penrose had famously crossed
satisfying ‘we’ve arrived’
Maxwell when he’d partied with the It will become an impressive art
Private Eye ‘mob.’ They turned up drunk gallery and will be the home of The
crunch. at the Daily Mirror offices and danced Discerning Eye
like hooligans on the Editor’s desk. Peter (www.discerningeye.org) a charity with
Cook, leading participant, telephoned Penrose as its chairman. The
Maxwell at his home and described the organisation promotes awareness of
scene! the visual arts in the UK. The gallery
Maxwell was enraged. will show contemporary art and
Johnnie jumped ship. sculpture. The sculpture garden will
Or did he leap at the point of a offer larger exhibitions. The building
buccaneer’s cutlass? is being lavishly restored. And at
Penrose has had a home in this enormous cost. The gallery is
area since 1986. “Cirencester is expected to open by the end of the
about to boom,” he predicts year.
grandly. “Businesses are Johnny gesticulated, wine glass in
investing locally - and so – this hand, with expansive Mediterranean
is where you make your note vigour - he is half Italian - conducting
Jacquie – and so am I.” the kitchen orchestra of pots and pans
Johnny laughs hugely. as lunch sang to us from the stove.
Everything is fun to this most Johnny wishes to serve the
likeable man. community, which he undoubtedly
90 COTSWOLDESSENCE | SEPTEMBER ~ NOVEMBER 2009
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk
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