A minute's silence was held at a meeting of Falmouth Town Council this week after the death was announced of former mayor Roger Bonney following a short illness.

Mr Bonney, who was a prominent politician at all three levels of local government in Cornwall and also a well-known businessman. He was 77.

Falmouth Packet: Roger Bonney served two mayoral terms, from 2005-07Roger Bonney served two mayoral terms, from 2005-07 (Image: Supplied)

Representing the Boslowick ward, he served two mayoral terms, from 2005-07. He chaired Carrick District Council between 2003 and 2005 and represented Falmouth North Ward for Cornwall County Council.

Roger entered local government as a councillor in the late 1990s and went on to hold offices including Chairman of the County Planning Committee and Vice-Chairman of Carrick District Personnel Committee.

He was also a member of South West Energy Management, the Housing Association and Carrick Leisure Trust. Additionally, Roger was a part-time lecturer at Cornwall College.  He attended two Buckingham Palace garden parties. 

Born in Falmouth in March, 1946, he was the youngest of three children of May and Reg Bonney and grew up in the town. He always had a liking for the water and as a child regularly swam in the sea at Greenbank.

He attended Wellington Terrace and Trescobeas Secondary Modern schools and was employed by a local plumbing and heating company before completing an apprenticeship in London, including City & Guilds Advanced Craft at Woolwich Polytechnic. 

As a commercial diver, he worked abroad laying communication underwater cables for Marconi. His overseas contracts included a period on Ascension Island.

After returning to Falmouth, he married Karen Strawson and the couple, who had one child, Steven, established their own heating and plumbing business in 1976. It proved to be very successful and was a main contractor for British Gas for over 20 years. 

The company became one of the largest of its kind in the area, with a showroom in Falmouth town centre at one point. The business continued until 2000, after he and Karen had separated a year earlier.

The couple divorced in 2006 and eight years later Roger married Connie Pixton.