Jan Struther

Jan Struther (1901–1953)

Jan Struther was an English writer, poet, essayist, and hymn author whose literary gifts brought warmth, intelligence, and spiritual depth to twentieth-century readers and worshippers. Though widely known in literature for her book Mrs. Miniver, she also made a meaningful contribution to hymnody through texts marked by grace, reflection, and devotion.

She was born Joyce Anstruther in Westminster, London, England, in 1901. She wrote under the pen name Jan Struther, a name drawn from her mother’s maiden name. Throughout her life she became known for both humorous and serious writing, demonstrating unusual versatility across poetry, essays, fiction, and sacred verse.

In England, Struther became especially famous for her book Mrs. Miniver, a collection of sketches portraying British family life in the years surrounding the Second World War. The book became immensely popular and was later adapted into the acclaimed film Mrs. Miniver. Its themes of courage, domestic resilience, and moral steadiness resonated deeply during wartime.

During the Second World War, she moved with her children to New York City, where she remained until her death in 1953.

Alongside her secular writing, Struther also contributed to Christian worship. The hymnal Songs of Praise included twelve of her hymn texts, showing the esteem in which her sacred poetry was held. Her hymns often reflected thoughtful faith, reverence, and lyrical beauty, bringing literary excellence into congregational song.

She also published several poetry collections, including Betsinda Dances and Other Poems (1931), Try Anything Twice(1938), The Glass Blower (1941), and the posthumous The Children’s Bells (1957). These works reveal a writer attentive to both the joys and burdens of ordinary life.

Jan Struther died in New York in 1953. Her legacy remains twofold: as a beloved literary voice of wartime Britain and as a hymn writer whose words enriched worship with elegance, sincerity, and faith.