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 THIS QUARTER I
WANT TO TELL YOU about
exceptional women - I cannot think of a better subject! This first is a
group and the second an amazing individual who sadly died at the latter
end of last year.
First the Metropolitan omen's
Police Association. In September
a number of them led by their Chair Beverley Edwards competed in the
Adidas 5K challenge walk around Hyde Park. Many of them walked for
their chosen charity and Beverley walked for the PPHA. Well done girls.
Beverley and her husband came down
to Sussex to have lunch with our Secretary Bob Davies and his wife Joy.
I was privileged to be present when Beverley handed over £600 which,
with Gift Aid, has increased to £750. After lunch we visited The Croft
at Yapton to see where their money will be
spent. My thanks to all who took part and those who generously
supported us.
In the September 2011 LPP, I spoke
about never ceasing to be amazed at what many of our residents have
achieved during their lives.
One former resident of The Croft,
Anne Dovey, died in November just 17 days
before her 100th birthday. Anne did not have a relative in the world.
She was handed over to a family just after she was born in 1911, who
took her in because they were in desperate debt and were paid for doing
so. Anne was called up in September 1939 to serve in the RAF and worked
as a nurse looking after injured airmen. During this period her air
crew boyfriend was lost at sea and she decided she would not marry.
Later she worked in the maternity department at The Royal Free
Hospital.
In late 1944, Anne joined the Met.
A bright and very determined lady, she first worked at West End Central
where she admitted to having her education and language enhanced by the
prostitutes she came in contact with. It was not easy being a highly
intelligent woman in what was a -male-oriented environment. Anne was
very interested in crime and, through persistence, joined the CID and
was made a Detective Sergeant in 1950. In her assessments, the common
phrase used was: "Has ability for a woman" - how things have
changed, and rightly so. Where would she have been in today's market?
In 1966 Anne retired and worked as
a civilian in NSY. She enjoyed life to the full, learning to fly a
Tiger Moth plane, and taking holidays all over the world travelling
over 140,000 miles - not in a Tiger Moth, I must add! At the age of 81
she took the MENSA test and passed with a score of 137, something only
one per cent of the population can top.
There were plans to celebrate
Anne's 100th birthday but, sadly, that was not to be. At her
funeral Bob Davies, before presenting the story of her life (of which
this is but a tiny snapshot) read a marvellous letter from Commissioner
Bernard Hogan-Howe which was full of praise for Anne and gave details
of her service. I like what I
hear of the Commissioner. He does not forget the past and particularly
those officers who have given loyal service.1 wish him well in his most
difficult job.
*****
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