A Petersfield man and insurance broker of nearly 55 years whose company helped develop the council offices at Penns Place has died aged 95.
Maurice Watson and his friend Howard Evans founded Lifeguard Assurance Agency in 1965 and the business began taking on staff and investing in local businesses.
Maurice, who died on Friday, May 17, was born and raised in Stratford-on-Avon, and on leaving school at 16 he joined the National Farmers’ Union Mutual Insurance Society.
During the Second World War he served as a pilot in the RAF, and after the war he married Joyce Coton in 1946 and they moved to Hertfordshire and he started work in London with Equity and Law.
Following completion of the exams for the Chartered Insurance Institute, Maurice and his colleague Howard Evans decided to start their own insurance business.
Maurice was tasked with finding suitable office accommodation and finally settled on the recently-completed offices of Swan Court in Swan Street, Petersfield.
Maurice moved his family to Durford Road and Lifeguard Assurance Company began trading in 1965.
In the late 1980s the company was taken over by Criterion Insurance and in 1988 Maurice retired.
But in 2004 Criterion left Petersfield, and today its former building in Swan Street is now mainly flats.
He and Joyce retired to Hawkley, but in 1997 they decide to return to Petersfield, and moved to Sussex Road.
Maurice was an active member of Petersfield Lodge of Friendship, Petersfield Golf Club and Petersfield Probus.
After he retired, he and Joyce, who died in 2015, enjoyed many holidays abroad with family and friends. He is survived by four children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
His funeral will be at St Peter and St Paul Church, Hawkley, on Wednesday, June 19, at 1.50pm. Family flowers only, with donations to the Alzheimers Society, through Rowland’s Funeral Services, on 01730 202711.