David Penhaligon
| David Charles Penhaligon | |
|---|---|
| President of the Liberal Party | |
|
In office 1985–1986 |
|
| Leader | David Steel |
| Preceded by | Alan Watson |
| Succeeded by | Des Wilson |
| Liberal Democrats Treasury Spokesman | |
|
In office 1985 – 22 December 1986 |
|
| Leader | David Steel |
| Member of Parliament for Truro |
|
|
In office 10 October 1974 – 22 December 1986 |
|
| Preceded by | Piers Dixon |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Taylor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 June 1944 |
| Died | 22 December 1986 (aged 42) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Liberal |
David Charles Penhaligon (6 June 1944 – 22 December 1986) was a British politician from Cornwall who was Liberal Member of Parliament for the constituency of Truro from 1974-86. He was a popular figure in all parties and had potential to be a front-runner for the party leadership had he not been killed in a car accident. In 2014 a Crowdfunder campaign was launched to record his life's work and impact.
Penhaligon was born on D-Day and brought up in Truro. He was a cousin of actress Susan Penhaligon. He attended Truro School, where he knew musician Roger Taylor, and then Cornwall Technical College where he studied mechanical engineering. Penhaligon worked for Holman Brothers in Camborne as a research and development engineer working on rock drilling. By 1973 he had qualified as a Chartered Mechanical Engineer; he also took over from his father a sub-post office in Chacewater from 1967 (after his marriage in 1968 to Annette Lidgey, she ran the business). His Liberal activities led to some work in local broadcasting.
Penhaligon's decision to join the Liberal Party was inspired in 1963 when, aged 19, he was an important witness to a murder case. His evidence, which supported the case of the defendant Dennis Whitty, was not enough to prevent him from being convicted and hanged. Penhaligon was appalled by the practice of capital punishment. He led the Truro Young Liberals and built up the local party (which had been the weakest in Cornwall) into one of the strongest; he was the chair of the Cornish Young Liberals from 1966 to 1968. However he was not selected as Liberal candidate for Truro in the 1966 general election (nor for any other seat), and he was also rejected for Falmouth and Camborne in 1968 apparently because his strong Cornish accent was thought unattractive.
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