Double tragedy as two die on city road

The death of a “much-loved” former lecturer and Lady Mayoress marks the second tragedy on a city centre road in the space of a week.

Anne Seller was hit by a van outside Waitrose in St George’s Place at about 5.35pm last Wednesday.

The 79-year-old was taken to hospital by ambulance, but sadly died later that day. She is the second pedestrian to die after being knocked down on the road in a seven-day period. The previous Wednesday, a 20-year-old man was hit by a dark-coloured Dacia Logan car at about 10.15pm, and later died in hospital.

Ms Seller, who served as the city’s Lady Mayoress 19 years ago, was one of the first members of academic staff at the University of Kent (UKC) and is remembered as a “marvellous figure in feminist philosophy”. After obtaining her degree from Leeds University, she spent her entire career as a philosophy lecturer at the Canterbury-based institution. Prof Miranda Fricker FBA, presidential professor of philosophy at the CUNY Graduate

Former Lady Mayoress Anne Seller, who has died aged 79, and right, floral tributes left in memory of the 20-year-old

Center in New York and a former student of Ms Seller’s, paid tribute to her.

“I will always remember Anne as a marvellous figure in feminist philosophy, and at a time when it was infinitely harder to identify as a feminist philosopher than it is now,” she said. “She was a wonderful teacher on the Women’s Studies MA when I was her student back in 1991.

“I will never forget her warmth, her intellectual generosity and energy, her independence of mind and buoyant disaffection from the mainstream of her discipline.

“Thank you, Anne, for all that you gave us.”

In an obituary on UKC’S website, Prof Richard Norman and Prof Sean Sayers told how Ms Seller “helped to shape the profile of philosophy at Kent”. “She played a central role in setting up the women’s studies graduate course at the university,” they said.

“She played a lead role nationally in the Society for Women in Philosophy, promoting new work in philosophy from a feminist perspective and also challenging a certain style of philosophical debate characterised by male combativeness.”

Ms Seller also made an enormous contribution to the local community, teaching philosophy for children, working at the Orchard School, and serving as the city’s Mayoress alongside

Lord Mayor Fred Whitemore in 2001.

Her family said she will be “sorely missed”.

“She was very much involved in the local community and was the Lady Mayoress in Canterbury 2001/2,” they said. “When she retired, Anne obtained a degree in art and used her talent to involve children in projects, both at the Cathedral and latterly at St Paul’s Church, where she was an active member. “Anne sang in many choral works with the Amici Chorus for several years.

“She was a much loved family member who will be sorely missed by all that knew her.” Police have launched an appeal for witnesses following Ms Seller’s death. Anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of Wednesday’s incident, or of the Ford Transit Connect that was involved, in the moments before the crash, is urged to call detectives on 01622 798538, quoting HW/DJ/100/20. Detectives have also launched an investigation following the death of the 20-year-old the previous week. Witnesses are urged to call police on 01622 798538 or email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk quoting MD/98/20.