William Silwood

William Silwood was found dead in a ditch or pond in Monks Wood, Epping Forest near Loughton on 2 November 1909.

He was found by a search party in about six inches of water.

He had been out on night duty at the time he went missing.

His cause of death was described as a mystery.

William Silwood had previously been a Corporal-Major in the 1st Life Guards and a Sergeant-Major in the Essex Imperial Yeomanry. He had also been in the Household Brigade in South Africa where he had been involved in several engagements and was awarded for his bravery at Sanna's Port where he had assisted in the re-capture of several guns from the enemy, receiving the medal for distinguished conduct in the field.

A few weeks earlier he had been presented with a substantial sum of money by members of the Essex Yeomanry as a mark of their esteem.

He had also recently been appointed as one of the forest keepers a month earlier. It was heard that William Silwood was not fully acquainted with the intricacies of the forest and that he had only a few days earlier remarked jocularly to a friend that he had already lost himself in the forest twice and that in future he would keep to the roads.

He had been missing since the Monday 1 November 1909 and was found the following day, Tuesday 2 November 1909.

It was thought that he might have accidently tripped up and been stunned by his fall. However, it was also heard that he had cuts on his hat that suggested that he had received a blow from behind although the doctor said that he could not find any corresponding signs of a blow on his head.

The coroner remarked at the inquest that there had been suggestions of foul play.

A friend of William Silwood said that he had seen William Silwood a few days before his death and said that William Silwood had a risky job and that at the time he had had a poaching case on with the Epping boys.

William Silwood had been married and had had nine children.