WE want to take this opportunity, on the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, to pay tribute to the 2,977 people who were murdered in and near the Twin Towers of New York City, the Pentagon in Washington DC and on Flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania.

But it would only be right that here we pay special tribute to Harlow man Simon Maddison.

Simon, aged 40, died in the North Tower on September 11th, 2001.

Simon Maddison was born on March 28th, 1961. He was the son of Peter and Violet.

He lived in Paddock Mead (off Paringdon Road). He attended Abbotsweld Primary and Passmores Secondary.

A number of friends have said he had a passion for motorbikes and on a number of tribute sites clearly have fond memories of Simon.

If you have queued up for a burger at Vinny’s, then Simon must have been a Harlow man!

But like a number of men he took the chance in the nineties to go west and try his luck in New York City.

Simon married Maureen and had three children, Caileigh, Kyle and Sydney. They settled in Florham Park, New Jersey.

Simon was a contractor for Cantor Fitzgerald, a US broker firm. The company lost 658 employees that day.

The Harlow Star covered his tragic death. The picture above is from the first page that week. They also covered a special memorial service that was held in Sawbridgeworth.

At a special service at Westminster Abbey in November 2001, Simon’s children were chosen to present flowers to the Queen.

His widow Maureen told The Guardian: “The real importance of presenting the flowers is about them knowing that their father was so special that even the Queen wants to have a memorial service for him and the others who died,”

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary Maureen featured in an article in The Daily Express.

While many of the relatives of victims will gather at Ground Zero today in solemn silence, Maureen will host a uniquely English event at her home in suburban Florham Park, New Jersey. She will be serving afternoon tea to her children as they swap stories about their father.

“It is our way of remembering Simon, something very English. Tea, cucumber sandwiches, scones and clotted cream,” she says.

“Our children were all born in America but Simon was very proud to be English and the children love remembering him that way. We started having English tea a few years ago, it is our way of remembering 9/11.

“I know many others who lost loved ones are drawn to Ground Zero but we prefer to be together, alone, as a family. The children take out things that belonged to Simon and we sit down and talk about him.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/270487/9-11-Telling-the-children-daddy-would-not-be-home-was-the-hardest-thing

This is not a detailed tribute regarding Simon but just based on information we have been able to gather together however we felt it would be remiss not to pay tribute to Simon.

He was a Harlow boy and a Harlow man. and we will never forget Simon Maddison.

Acknowledgments to Harlow Star, Alec Sharp and Lee Morrison of Photos of Harlow Old and New.