Tributes to a ‘star - Family and friends say farewell to St Anne’s Church war­den Janet Vance

Published: 01 July 2011
by JOSH LOEB

WITH the noises and smells of Soho wheedling their way into the Friday morning service, about 100 people gathered to pay their respects to a Soho neighbour who even strangers described as “a bright shining star”. 

At St-Giles-in-the-Fields, friends, colleagues and acquaintances said farewell to St Anne’s Church war­den Janet Vance (pictured), who died on May 27, aged 62.

Born in the Charing Cross hosp­ital in July 1948, apart from a stint running an East Dulwich pub, she spent most of her life in Soho. Ms Vance had a variety of jobs, including working in her father’s betting shop, as a trainee accountant, publican, and even a “foot model”.

Mourners included representatives from Searchlight, a Cornwall-based youth project where Ms Vance had been the first treasurer and patron.

Friend Paul West, former churchwarden of St Anne’s, said: “Janet’s dad was a no-nonsense Londoner sort. She had a fine figure in her younger years, but her dad refused to let her be photographed above the knee, so she modelled shoes only. One of her first jobs out of school was working in her dad’s slightly illegal street betting shop, so she was always trying to work out the odds of things. She was brilliant at maths, like a human calculator.”

In her later years Ms Vance had become a bilateral amputee yet remained extremely active, organ­ising pensioners’ seaside trips and bingo clubs .

• Thursday lunch clubs at St Anne’s, described as Ms Vance’s “legacy”, have started up again after a pause of several weeks.
There will also be regular Sunday lunches. They start at 1pm. To book call 020 7437 5006 and leave a message or call Patrick on
07986 431521.