Edna Stevens was born in Bethnal Green in 1934 but shortly after the outbreak of World War 2 her family moved to a Council house in Dagenham. After passing The Scholarship, as the 11+ was then called, she went to The Ilford County High School for Girls. The Headmistress was a strong believer in Women's Rights and instilled in all her pupils the idea that women should never accept being regarded as second class citizens and can achieve anything if they really try.

She left School at 16 which was then considered very fortunate as the standard leaving age at that time had just been raised from 14 to 15. She started work at the local pharmaceutical company as a student chemist. She got married in 1955 and divorced in 1970.  In 1962 she moved to Harlow and started work as a laboratory technician at 3M Research at The Pinnacles where she continued to work until she was made redundant at age 62.

Harlow Council supports all British troops, but has particularly close ties with the Essex Yeomanry, because of its close links with the town. 

The Essex Yeomanry is the direct successor of the Troop raised by Colonel Montague Burgoyne in 1798. Since then the Essex Yeomanry has been Yeomanry Cavalry over a period of 124 years, gunners for 46 years and signallers for the last 40 years. In that time citizens of Harlow and from around Essex have volunteered to serve in aid of the civil authorities on several occasions during the 19th and 20th centuries, serving in two World Wars with great distinction and considerable sacrifice, as they do again in the 21st century in Iraq and Afghanistan.   

Many of the serving Essex Yeomanry, as well as former members, are residents of Harlow and on 25 April 2009 Harlow Council awarded the Essex Yeomanry the Freedom of Entry to Harlow, at a ceremony and parade. This significant honour marked the association which the Essex Yeomanry has had with Harlow and its surrounding district since 1798.