Don & Mollie White

click Councillors Parish Council for others.

Don White and Mollie lived at Two Stiles, Water Lane, Speen. They had two children, Jill and Stephen.

Hallmark June 1983. Parish Council Election. Don White returned unopposed.

Hallmark June 1994. Councllor Don White has been re-elected Chairman of the Parish Council for the 11th year.

Hallmark 2007. Donald Elliott White resigns as Chairman of our Parish Council. Chairman 23 years from 1984-2007. A tribute by Rosemary Mortham.

Don was born of the local White family, who had run the well known building firm in High Wycombe of White Brothers. This was sold to Lovells in 1968. His grandfather, Arthur White had been Mayor of High Wycombe. Don attended St. Edwards School in Oxford. He now lives in Speen with his wife Mollie, daughter Jill and son Stephen.

He takes a keen interest in vintage cars and owns a 1954 Rolls Royce, a 1932 Austin 7 tourer and a 1933 Austin 10 saloon.

Don joined the Parish Council in 1979 as an independent member for Speen and was elected Chairman in 1984. When Lacey Green Parish Council was formed in 1934, there had been a "gentlemen's agreement that 5 members should represent Loosley Row and Lacey Green, with 2 members representing Speen. In the early 80's, it was agreed, at Don's suggestion, that the parish should be "Warded". This provided a guarantee that there would always be 2 members to represent Speen.

As Chairman, Don took part in the 1989 Beating the Bounds ceremony.

During his Chairmanship, a gas supply was made available to the villages of Lacey Green and Loosley Row. This was brought about by negotiations between the Parish Council and British Gas.

Over many years, the Parish Council campaigned for a reduction in the speed limit in Lacey Green & Loosley Row. The 40 mph limit in Lacey Green was considered too high, whilst in Loosley Row only the national speed limit of 60mph was in force! A successful result was finally achieved in 2006, when both villages became subject to a 30mph limit.

Don has been a member of the winning team at the annual village quiz on several occasions. For 25 years, he and his family ran the ice cream stall at Speen Fete. Recently, he has taken part in the Speen Festival. His latest appearance was as the "Ghost Teacher" in the 2007 performance of "Three Cheers for Mrs Butler".

After 28 years on the Parish Council Don has decided it is time to retire. He has always tried to be impartial and not to let politics influence his decisions. He will be greatly missed. There are few local people prepared to put so much time into helping the community as Don.