Janet was born in Holloway, (the district, not the prison), on the Seventh of August 1946 to Gladys and Harold Gray, following the family’s move from Plymouth. The three of them lived in Whetstone, North London. Janet had no siblings, but she enjoyed playing with her cousins, and had a budgie called Julie. Janet met Rosemary in 1961 when they were next-door neighbours. Janet was a bridesmaid at Rosemary’s wedding and they remained friends for the rest of Janet’s life.
Janet went to Manorside School in East Finchley. She enjoyed school and had many friends there. After leaving school, Janet took a clerical job with the former grocery chain Payantake, before moving to a motor company called H. A. Saunders, then she became an administrator in the Civil Service for the Department for Health and Social Security, where she stayed for nearly 12 years, before leaving to start a family. Since then, Janet held some part-time jobs such as a school cleaner.
Janet met Malcolm in 1963, through his Aunt, who also worked at Payantake. They started courting more-or-less straight after they had met. They enjoyed going out to the cinema and different events.
Janet and Malcolm were married in Whetstone on the fourteenth of September 1968. The wedding ended with a colossal thunderstorm, but this did not spoil the day, which they always remembered with affection.
Their first home together was a flat in North Finchley in north London, before they moved to a house in Whetstone. Janet and Malcolm enjoyed many holidays at home and abroad, often to a Greek island or the Algarve. They had a touring caravan which they used along the South coast, before they eventually exchanged it for a holiday home in Selsey, where they loved to spend their summers and weekends.
Janet was delighted to become a mother, but had to wait 44 years, until Sarah was born on the eighth of December 1990. Malcolm remembers how happy that day was for both of them, despite the snow. Sarah recalls how supportive her mum was, and how much she enjoyed the time they spent together. In particular, they both liked afternoon tea, shopping, and watching musicals. Sarah also remembers her mum giving her money to buy ice creams after primary school. Sarah will miss her mum dearly.
Janet, Malcolm, and baby Sarah moved from Whetstone to Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, in 1991, before moving to Waterlooville in Hampshire in February 2014 when Malcolm retired.
Sarah met her partner Phillip in March 2015. Phillip is very grateful to Janet for making him so welcome. He says that he will miss Janet and will treasure his memories of her.
Janet loved to cook, bake cakes, and do wordsearches. Upon moving to Waterlooville, Janet enjoyed attending events with the women’s group at St George’s Church and the Women’s Institute in Purbrook. She also enjoyed meals out, spending time with family, and going out for day trips. At St. George’s, Janet was active in all aspects of Church life, especially helping on the stalls at the annual fêtes and bazaars. She had been similarly involved in Church activities when they lived in Potters Bar.
Janet’s favourite musician was Cliff Richard, who is providing music today for both our coming in and our going out. A dream came true for Janet in 2017, when she attended one of his concerts in Rowlands Castle.
In the last year of her life, Janet experienced several hospital admissions due to recurrent infections and ill health. This was a testing period for Janet and her family, but Janet demonstrated remarkable resilience and remained largely optimistic that she would overcome her illnesses. Sadly, this was not to be, but Janet’s memory will live on.
Malcolm would like to say how very grateful he and Sarah are for all the support they have received during Janet’s illness, and since, particularly from the Cowplain Bowls Club and the people at St George’s, Waterlooville, and it’s lovely to see so many of you here today; thank you all so much for coming.
