Frances Whitehead brought unusual energy and passion to her role as John Stott’s secretary – ‘a most understated job title’, as Hugh Palmer made clear in his opening remarks at her thanksgiving service in All Souls, Langham Place.
It is widely agreed that the reach and extent of John Stott’s ministry was doubled by Frances. Days were long and full. She handled an enormous correspondence, typed Stott’s books from longhand, and oversaw the infrastructure of each of his endeavours until it could be handed on. Their partnership was unequalled; and they would become known around the world as ‘Uncle John’ and ‘Auntie Frances’.
Frances led a beginners’ group and a home group, and had a genuine care for people. She guarded Stott’s time from unscheduled interruptions, no matter how insistent callers were, or how far they had travelled. One of his study assistants said that Frances ‘could intimidate the socks off anyone’.
