John Pennington
Businessman, entrepreneur, past President of
Bradford Chamber of Commerce and determined
rescuer of the city’s architectural heritage, John
Pennington, gained a Diploma in Textiles at
Bradford Technical College in 1967.
John was born in Frizinghall and educated at Fulneck
Moravian School in Pudsey, which gave him an idea of
what life is all about but little academic qualification
apart from 3 art ‘O’ levels and an urgent desire to
leave school. Bradford at that time was full of art
students, a route John did not wish to pursue despite
art being his best subject. Instead he enrolled at
Bradford Technical College to study textiles.
“Leaving home on the first day at the Tech I recall my
mother telling me it would be a new chapter in my life,
making new friends. She was correct but we were both
in for a surprise, as none of my fellow freshers were
English let-alone Bradfordian. I remember Christian
Kragenbul from Switzerland; Mario Gallo from Italy,
who used to drive a Morris Minor without either tax
or insurance and parked it anywhere; Isa Arasogli,
from Lebanon, to name but a few. All testament to
the international reputation of the Bradford Textile
College. Textile circles throughout the world heralded
Bradford THE place to educate.”
After a few days I met Bradford textile royalty: Richard
Stroud, who drove a new Mini; Michael Denby,
occasionally in his father’s vintage Bentley; Michael
Holdsworth, in a very old and very big Land Rover;
Peter Hansen in a dark blue customised frog-eyed
sprite, Richard Fawcett and someone who was to
become a lifetime friend, Edward Stanners, whose
father held the agency for Harris Tweed. Great times
were had at the Interlingua Club in a Salem Street
cellar which provided an endless supply of au-pairs
and in the ‘Alex’ bar in the now demolished Alexandra
Hotel, opposite the Windsor Baths below the College.
My dislike of school produced failure, contrasting with
my enjoyment at the Tech which saw me extending
my course to 2 years, covering 22 subjects from raw
materials, yarn manufacture, cloth technology, colour
in textiles through to book-keeping and commercial
law with an Intermediate Course Certificate as proof
and FINALLY a qualification!”
John became an auctioneer for the Bradford Wool Sales, bought the famous Rock and Heifer Inn from another textile man on a hand shake. He saved the dilapidated Midland Hotel in Forster Square, restoring it to its former glory. He later converted the former Mecca Ballroom into Pennington’s Variety Club, attracting top acts and TV shows, and formerly at the helm of the Old Tramshed in Saltaire. He is one of the founder members of the Bradford Odeon Rescue Group (BORG) and is currently fighting to redevelop the historic Odeon rather than demolish it.
Photograph supplied by John Pennington