Dame Penelope Keith RIP

Penelope Ann Constance Hatfield was born on the 2nd April 1940 in Sutton in Surrey.  She spent her early years in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and Clapham.  Although not a Roman Catholic, she was sent at the age of six to a catholic convent boarding school run by French nuns in Seaford, East Sussex. It is here she became interested in acting, and she frequently went to matinées in the West End with her mother.

She married Rodney Timson in 1978, and this followed regular appearances on stage across the UK including Shakespeare, Shaw, Sheridan, Wilde, Rattigan and Congreve.  Between 1975-78 she starred in ‘The Good Life’ and in 1979-81 she again starred in ‘To the Manor Born’.  These hugely popular comedies were often watched by an audience in excess of twenty million.   From these two productions she became a Worldwide star.  

Although Penelope was known around the world for her film, stage and tv career,  her support to the county of Surrey is well known to all of us and has been appreciated by so many different areas of our society. 

Penelope was made High Sheriff of Surrey in 2002-2003 – only the third woman to have been so appointed – and made a Deputy Lieutenant in 2004.  Penelope was appointed an OBE in 1989, elevated to CBE in 2007, and In 2014 she was made a Dame, presented by Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She was made an Honorary Doctor of Surrey University. She was President for many years of the Actors Benevolent Fund.

Her Patronages included The Crime Division Scheme at HMP Coldingley, The White Lodge Centre, The Abracadabra Appeal at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, The Guildford Cathedral Music Development campaign, Oakleaf Enterprises in Guildford and The Surrey Community Development Trust.  Reflecting her interest in dogs, wildlife and the countryside, she was Patron of Labrador Lifeline Trust, The Surrey Hills and Patron of Compassion in World Farming.

She was a Patron of Guildford Samaritans for over twenty years, a member of the Surrey Military Awards Committee (SMAC) for over thirty years, as well as being a keen and dedicated supporter to the RBL. The list would not be complete without adding the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, to which she gave a lot of her time and support, especially over the last few years during the theatre’s very large development programme.  

It would be easy to carry on writing about Penelope’s many qualities, and examples of support to our county and beyond. We will all have many happy memories of her life. She brought joy and laughter to many across the world.

I know our thoughts and prayers are with Roddy and his family at this time.

Michael More-Molyneux CVO

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