| Abstract | General Sir William Horwood KCB DSO, Chief of Metropolitan Police, had a house down the road near the Victory and
always took an interest in our activities. He had known some of my husband's relations in their Irish affluency,
that of a very old established firm of Lawyers in Dublin. It took a lot of convincing him that we hadn't fallen on
hard times, we were there because we liked the life, that we had chosen a track on which we had decided to travel.
We often saw him for the odd drink and meal. One day he was discussing with my husband the shocking state of the roads and said he would do what he could by getting in touch with the powers that be and the Island had reason to be
grateful for his interest. The first time I met him, unknown to me he was convalescing after an illness. That
morning I had received a box of chocolates from a grateful visitor. I was opening the box when he walked into the
back room of the Victory. Upon relection, he did hesitate in accepting my offer, his illness had been the result of an
anonymous box of poisoned chocolates, of which I was in complete ignorance. Humour took charge and we became great
friends. In his last illness I was asked by Dr Jean Hudson who was attending him if I would send him some dainty dish each day, which I was only too pleased to do until he died.
Sir William Horwood died 16 November 1943 in his home in West Mersea. He was born 1868.
[His address in the 1931 and 1936 Electoral Rolls was 'The Hut and Premises, Victory Road'.]
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