Former estate agent
found dead in gardenA RETIRED Bishop8217s Stortford
estate agent and property land-
lord has died suddenly in his
garden.Stan Bennett,
pictured above
right, was found by his daughter,
Philippa, last Thursday after-
noon in the grounds ofhis
Hadham Road property. He was
74.
Two years ago, the former
owner ofJarvis Bennett Estate
Agency opened The Terrace Caf233
in the town centre, which contin-
ues to be run by his family.
He and his wife, Phyllis, 72,
celebrated 50 years ofmarriage
last year. He also leaves three
children, Mark, 46, Simon, 45,
Philippa, 42, and seven grand-
children.
Daughter-in-law Rachel
Bennett said: 8220Stan was devoted
to his family, generous, loving
and caring and he had a wicked
sense ofhumour.8221
Mr Bennett was born in north
London and worked in the City
until he began training as a
negotiator with Arbon & Upton
in Hoddesdon in 1964. He trans-
ferred to rescue its failing
Stortford and Sawbridgeworth
offices in 1996 and eventually
moved his family to the area,
first to Little Hallingbury and
then Stortford.
He later became senior part-
ner and bought out the firm,
employing Sam Jarvis and his
sons, Mark and Simon, to estab-
lish Jarvis Bennett.
In the 1990s, it was sold to
Abbey National Cornerstone
Properties. Mr Bennett retired
but kept his property interests
in North Street.
He was a keen cyclist and
golfer.
A spokeswoman for Bishop8217s
Stortford GolfClub said that Mr
Bennett was a long-standing
member who joined in 1989. The
club8217s flag had been lowered to
half-mast in his memory and she
added that he would be sadly
missed.
A humanist service will be
held at Parndon Wood
Crematorium, Harlow, on a date
yet to be arranged. For details,
contact Bishop8217s Stortford funer-
al director Daniel Robinson.Flower club8217s
donation to deaf
charity8217s caninesLITTLEHallingbury Flower Club has
donated 163300 to Hearing Dogs for Deaf
People.
Members raised the money at their
Christmas demo evening and chose
the East Herts district branch ofthe
charity to benefit.
Club secretary Judy Evans presented
branch chairman Barbara Fuller
with a cheque at last month8217s meeting
in the village hall.
Members then enjoyed a floral
demonstration by Jean Crane,
entitled 8220Village Memories8221.
Little Hallingbury Flower Club has
been going for more than 20 years
and has achieved success at both the
Chelsea Flower Show and national
exhibition level, including a gold
medal in 2004.
The club meets every third Tuesday
at 8pm in the village hall and
welcomes new members.Esso cashier
cleared of
starting blazeA MAN has been found not guilty of
causing a fire at the petrol station where
he worked.
A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court
took just 20 minutes last Wednesday to
clear cashier Alec Field ofarson.
Field, 29, ofHarlow, had denied
destroying 163959 ofoils and car care
products in a stockroom cupboard at the
Esso garage in Start Hill, near Bishop8217s
Stortford, on the evening ofFebruary 4
last year. Damage was put at 163120.
Prosecutor Lynne Shirley had alleged
that the blaze was started by Field, who
was the only member ofstaffon duty at
the time.
An investigation showed it was proba-
bly caused deliberately, possibly by a
lighter or matches coming into contact
with combustible materials. There were
two seats offire.
Field denied arson when he was
arrested and questioned by police. He
said he had been in the stockroom many
times that evening but had not been in
that particular cupboard.
He had gone outside for a cigarette
and when he returned he noticed smoke
coming from underneath the stockroom
door. He dialled 999 straight away.
When it was suggested to him that he
started the fire, he replied: 8220I never. I8217m
not that stupid. It8217s more than my life8217s
worth living.8221
Field said that he could not explain
how the fire started, but ifit had been
him he would have admitted it.
The jury was shown CCTV footage of
people visiting the service station earli-
er that evening. Under cross-examina-
tion, a prosecution witness confirmed
that one ofthose filmed was a former
Esso employee who had been dismissed
by the company.18Observer March 13, 2008
www.hertsandessexobserver.co.ukFLOWER
POWER:
Back
from left, Little
Hallingbury
Flower Club
treasurer Val
McKirdy,
secretary Judy
Evans, Hearing
Dogs for Deaf
People branch
chairman
Barbara Fuller
and flower
demonstrator
Jean Crane,
front from left,
HDDP
treasurer Nick
Croome with
Alfie and
Joanne
Luxford with
JoejoePhoto:
NWCF4RFL-03By
Sandra Perry
NEWS EDITORperrys@hertsessexnews.co.ukP
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s
sA DOG breeder from Great
Hallingbury is celebrating her
latest success at Crufts with her
four-legged champion, who is
less than a year old.
Valerie Walker, of Church Road,
entered 10-month-old black toy
poodle Milly for the prestigious
competition at the National
Exhibition Centre in Birmingham
after qualifying at a regional
championship in December.
Milly 8211 full show name Freestyle
Milly Molly Mandy 8211 came away
last Thursday with first prize in
the special puppy category after
being judged on such points as
appearance, discipline and
performance.
Mrs Walker, 60, has bred show
dogs for 25 years and has
qualified for Crufts every time for
the past 16.
Between 1999 and 2001 she and
her cadre of canines scooped
three top awards in the veteran
class and in total her dogs have
taken first place at least five
times in different categories.
She is also a championship-level
judge and will be sitting on the
panel at a dog show in
Peterborough later this year.
Mrs Walker owns three other
dogs: Milly8217s mother, Ruby, and
another mother-daughter pair,
called Katie and Bliss. All four
are poodles.
8220I8217ve had a lot of winners over
the years 8211 I8217ve been doing this
for so long that I8217ve almost lost
count,8221 she said.
8220Milly is very much a normal
puppy. She8217s absolutely full of
energy and charges about
everywhere in the house.
8220My dogs are trained for shows,
but at home they just behave like
any other pet and get the same
treatment.8221PUTTING
ON A
GOOD
SHOW:
Valerie
Walker
with Milly
at Crufts(s)ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETINGThursday 20th March6.15 for 6.30pm
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