John M. Ffrench Award
Club Person of the Year

John served in World War 2 in RAAF (439580) from 1th July, 1943 until 25th July, 1946. At time of Discharge he was a Leading Aircraftman with HQRS NTH COMMAND.

An Obituary in Penrith Press dated May 4, 1999 reads:

"Leading lawyer supported city. One of Penrith's leading solicitors for nearly 40 years died recently aged 73. John Macpherson Ffrench, a senior partner of J.J. Ffrench & Company, died suddenly on March 19 after a heart attack.

After finishing his Articles of Clerkship with A.S. Lamrock & Son, Mr. Ffrench was admitted as a solicitor in 1955. He founded his own firm, specialising in commercial and taxation law until his retirement six years ago. He was also appointed as a Notary Public in 1964.

Although suffering from several debilitating illnesses after military service in World Was II, Mr. Ffrench threw himself into his legal work and serving the Penrith community. 

He was well known for his views on the law as an integral part of an orderly society and his ability and high ethical standards earned him the respect of his clients, colleagues and staff. As a lawyer, he was not afraid to venture into territory normally reserved for city firms and became one of the few acknowledged experts in taxation and trust law form the 1960s. Yet he loved acting for "the battler" and waived his fee if clients fell on hard times.

Mr. Ffrench believed a solicitor should be an active part of the community: he was an inaugural Penrith Apex Club member and became a District Governor. With Brian Lamrock, he founded the Near Western Law Society and was secretary and president for many years.

He served on the NSW Committee of the Civilian Widows Association and, through Apex, was the organiser of the first Asian seminar in the Commonwealth. He was the inaugural Penrith Spastic Centre Council, and Civil Rehabilitation Committee president.

With the late Ronald Dowd and late Dr. Allan Mullins, Mr. Ffrench set up the Nepean Valley Society for the Arts which raised funds to build a major entertainment centre in Penrith - hence, the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. He was also involved in the idea of a district art gallery.

An avid former cricketer and rugby player, Mr. Ffrench was a Penrith Rugby Club foundation member, president for three years and a combined second division selector for 10.

He was Nepean Rowing Club and Penrith Golf club honorary solicitor for years, supported Penrith Cricket Club and was a member of the Primary Club.

And Mr. Ffrench was an enthusiastic supporter of Penrith City and District Business Advisory Centre, which gives free advice to people setting up small businesses. He incorporated the organisation and was a director and deputy chairman.

Mr. Ffrench acted for many well-known clients in the district and was the Penrith Leagues Club solicitor during its greatest expansion. Mr. Ffrench is survived by wife Sheila, son Robert and four grandchildren."