Maxwell Leslie LAUGHTON
Maxwell Leslie LAUGHTON OAM
Late of ?
Penrith Police Training College, High St, Penrith
New South Wales Police Force
[alert_yellow]Regd. # 6081[/alert_yellow]
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 12 April 1948
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 19 May 1965
Sergeant 1st Class – 16 July 1975
Inspector 3rd Class – appointed ?
Stations: ?, Castle Hill O.I.C. ( 33 Division ),
Service: From ? ? pre April 1948? to ? ? 1988? = 40? years Service
Awards: National Medal – granted 3 September 1985
Centenary Medal – granted 1 January 2001, For service to the community through the Penrith Paceway and the Show Society
Medal of the Order of Australia ( OAM ) – granted 11 June 2012, For service to the community of Penrith and to the sport of harness racing
Born: 2 April 1929
Died on: Wednesday 21 March 2018
Age: 88
Cause: ?
Event location: ?
Event date: ?
Funeral date: Wednesday 28 March 2018 @ 3pm
Funeral location: North Chapel, Pinegrove Memorial Park, Great Western Hwy, Minchinbury
Funeral Parlour:
Buried at: ?
Memorial located at: ?
[alert_yellow]MAX is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow] *NEED MORE INFO
Funeral location: [codepeople-post-map]
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May they forever Rest In Peace
Penrith Paceway legend Max Laughton passes away
Penrith harness racing icon Max Laughton has passed away.
Mr Laughton was one of the founding fathers of the Penrith Harness Racing Club in the mid-1960s and remained a mainstay of the club for more than half a century.
He is a Life Member and served as Chairman and President of the club.
Mr Laughton received a range of honours recognising his commitment to harness racing, Penrith and the wider community including the Centenary Medal in 2001 and Council’s Wall of Achievement. He was also honoured with an OAM.
He was involved in the establishment of the popular function centre at the Paceway as well as Club Paceway itself and reconstruction of the track.
It is set to be an emotional night at the Paceway this evening with its usual Thursday night meeting scheduled to get underway just after 6pm.
Mr Laughton became involved in harness racing when he was just 24-years-old.
“I was around 24 when I started training with Alf Phillis and we would go out to Penrith on my days off,” he told the Weekender in 2012.
Mr Laughton moved to Penrith in 1948 when he entered the Police Force and attended the Penrith Police Training College in High Street, Penrith.
In 1964, Mr Laughton founded the Penrith Harness Racing Club and became a foundation executive member.
Harness racing enthusiast Ross Hutchison said he was saddened to hear of Mr Laughton’s passing.
“The great man passed away last night,” he said.
“He was the best of bosses.”
Harness Media Centre
Vale: Max Laughton OAM
22 March 2018
THE harness racing fraternity is mourning the passing of legendary administrator Max Laughton OAM.Mr Laughton, a Penrith harness racing icon, passed away last night.
He was the longest-serving President at Penrith Paceway, serving on the Executive Committee since 1964 and had been President since 1988.
Amongst this, Mr Laughton worked in the New South Wales Police Force, starting his career in 1948 at Penrith and eventually became the Chief Police Inspector in 1984.
After 40 years of service in the Police Force, Mr Laughton was awarded a Merit of Services Award.
Retiring from the Police Force in 1988, Mr Laughton devoted all of his spare time to Penrith Paceway.
He originally obtained the ‘harness racing bug’ at the age of 24 when he began working horses with Alf Phillis.
Mr Laughton was a foundation member of the Penrith Harness Racing Club and in 1999 it was his decision to build the registered club.
As a mark of respect, drivers will wear black armbands at tonight’s race meeting at Penrith.
A funeral for Mr Laughton will be held next Wednesday, March 28, at Pinegrove in the North Chapel at 3pm which will be followed by a wake at Penrith Paceway.
Harness Racing New South Wales extends sincere condolences to Max’s beloved wife Lorna, his family and friends.
“Max was an admired administrator, a rock for the Penrith Club and will be sorely missed in all harness racing circles,” HRNSW chief executive John Dumesny.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
AMANDA RANDO | MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • arando@hrnsw.com.au • @Amanda_Rando
