Vince arrived in Tolmers Square in around 1975 and took up occupation of the rambling upper floors of the semi-commercial premises at 19 to 21 Tolmers Square on the south side. He was a friend of Sacha Craddock and Jamie Gough from Oxford.

Vince became a regular feature of Tolmers life with his charming eccentricity often on show. He played a regular part at the carnivals, one year single-handedly organising the sale of helium filled ‘Tolmers rules OK’ balloons.

The most famous story about Vince comes from Sacha who says that he ‘took possession’ of a milk float in Oxford but was stopped by the police as he was driving it down the motorway towards Wales.

After leaving Tolmers in 1979 Vince led a peripatetic lifestyle, which included teaching for a while in Denmark. He became diabetic and his health suffered.

Vince died in 2010.

PA