Penny Taylor

Thoughts from Miggie

At this time of year, New Year, I particularly remember Penny, who very sadly died last September
(2025). She loved to see in the New Year and I spent several memorable New Year’s Eves with her, the
last being in 2019 when several of us went to Daisy’s, a (quite small) café and welcomed in 2020 with a
piper playing “Auld Lang Syne” on Sutton Harbour quay – unforgettable!
Penny was a longstanding member of IVC. She grew up in Manchester and lived in Canterbury and
Launceston before coming to Plymouth with her two children, Matthew and Genevieve, after she and
her husband were divorced.
She was very courageous, making a new life for herself here, taking care of her father as well as of her
children. She undertook several different jobs, including working as a dental nurse, a nursing assistant, a
researcher for BBC Radio Devo
Jan 2026n, invigilating exams for the Open University and for Plymouth University,

and taking in language students when her children had left home. She was intrepid enough to travel to
Goa in India, and to the Gambia on her own, and before her marriage worked on a Kibbutz in Israel.
She was devoted to her dogs. I knew three of them: Shep (who had one blue eye and one brown),
Mobor (called after a beach in Goa), and Philo (named the Greek word for love). Philo has survived her,
and Terry and I feel privileged to be taking care of him now.
She was for ever bursting with ideas for events for IVC and always brought contributions of food and
drink to any event, along with lively conversation. She was a good listener too. I will always remember
her very fondly and miss her vivacious company.
Miggy

Penny’s Cake Recipe from Patrick – he is yet to make it…

The scan doesn’t show it but the last line is “wait for Alfreda ha ha!”