John Wornham Penfold was a surveyor

Surveying

See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...

 and architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

 born in Haslemere

Haslemere

Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...

, Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

 where he is also buried. The house in which he once lived, "Penfolds", is still to be found near the centre of the town.
During his career Penfold was made President of the Architectural Association School of Architecture

Architectural Association School of Architecture

The Architectural Association School of Architecture, more usually known as the AA, is an architectural school in London, United Kingdom...

 and an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects

Royal Institute of British Architects

The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...

. He was a founding member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is an independent, representative professional body which regulates property professionals and surveyors in the United Kingdom and other sovereign nations....

 and its Honorary Secretary from 1868 to 1904.

Penfold is perhaps best known for his design of the British hexagonal post box

Post box

A post box is a physical box into which members of the public can deposit outgoing mail intended for collection by the agents of a country's postal service...

 in 1866, now known as a Penfold box.

Trivia

In the cartoon series Danger Mouse

DangerMouse

Danger Mouse is a British animated television series which was produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television. It features the eponymous Danger Mouse, an English mouse who works as a superhero/secret agent. The show is a loose parody of British spy fiction, particularly James Bond and the...

, DM's sidekick is named Penfold after JW Penfold, since the duo's secret hideout was in a post box in Baker Street

Baker Street

Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid the street out in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at a fictional 221B...

. However, Danger Mouse and Penfold's hideout was not a Penfold box, but an Anonymous box.