Description:
Black and white photograph showing a smartly dressed woman shaking hands with a teenage girl who is wearing a jumper with what could be a school prefect badge pinned to it. They are also holding, in their other hands, a book with a trophy placed on top. In-between and standing behind them is a man. He could be wearing a Graduate gown as you can see a hood strap under the knot in his tie. The man is looking directly at the camera, whereas the women are looking to the side.
The accompanying article is headed "Schools reflect society's problems says headmaster".
The occasion is a prize-giving ceremony at Over Ross School's Open Day. The woman is the Mayoress of Ross, Mrs. J. Penny, who is presenting the Lady Jackson trophy for home economics to her daughter, Alexandra. The man in the middle is not named but from his attire and the accompanying article it can be reasonably assumed that he is the school's headmaster, Mr. C. M. James.
The Mayoress is not wearing a chain of office. The civic office of Mayor can be either a man or woman. If the Mayor is a man and the consort he chooses to accompany him at engagements and functions is a woman, then she has the title of Mayoress. Hence, a Mayoress is not a female Mayor. The Mayoress in this picture is the wife of the Mayor, Mr. John Penny, and although she is representing him at an official engagement, she is not entitled to wear the chain of office. The following year, Mr. Penny was re-elected to serve as Mayor for a second term. At that Council meeting he made a gift to the Council of a silver medallion to worn by the Mayor's consort.
RELATED ITEMS IN THE ROSS GAZETTE ARCHIVE PROJECT
Ross Gazette Photographs Collections
Ross Gazette photographs May 1977
Ross Council: John Penny, Mayor (Re-elected) [May 12, 1977]
![Over Ross School : Open Day [October 28, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/a3f354707a936da89eb991a2945bc79ce8a79326e4143f5fa35b969d0600ecc9/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Ross Rotary Club: Ladies' Night [October 28, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/205d0973b495ba09683e67b2d91fdbc018c1a76565c7ed0296121186f861043d/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Ross Swimming Pool: Sponsored Swim [October 21, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/7835bebfb3c33157c0e31cafc24707fa46849347bb50774ab0e4a4d813b9431e/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Lea Bailey: Isobel Price [October 14, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/51ff52c663fb7cdfa23694a6e086d0c320cc202a6ed5305a9a969a2467533127/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Ross Leo Club: Sponsored Skittles Marathon [October 7, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/92f1d2115647b5a7dd968f7475de0446050b11e3c9aeac2dd71b7d16ddf3c4ae/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Gloucester Road: "Milwards" [November 25, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/87aa5489e48ad8acbf93cb703d416ab8a7075006aac80d19c2ed04975490474a/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Broad Street: "Birdcage Boutique" Incident [November 25, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/67a6f2a4fc2e48fff05ebd12f954e83a7f073fa8c98a159133a15917f1d0417d/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
![Wedding: DAVIES-MAHONEY [November 25, 1976]](https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/img/979406ccfc080858e318ffec0739d29135b74183dab5c51d2e8139b7d8720c7c/86f8e5de26be0cd0dd678301a84c6aa3074d572c586fa619236ed350b2548e36)
