Life in a Cold Climate

by Laura Thompson

  Guardian 345

  Guimant, Madame (NM’s maid) 374

  Guinness, Bryan, 2nd Lord Moyne (first husband of Diana Mitford) 76, 85, 102, 106, 110

  Guinness, Catherine 187

  Guinness, Desmond 106, 164

  Guinness, Diana see Mosley, Diana, Lady

  Guinness, Jonathan (son of Diana Mitford): comment on David Mitford 22 ; The House of Mitford (also with Catherine Guinness) 28, 93, 137, 187, 298, 303, 308; comment on NM 44, 125, 228, 251; and Pigeon Pie 149; mother’s imprisonment 164–5

  Haig, Lady Alexandra 296

  Hamish Hamilton (publisher): Pigeon Pie 156; The Pursuit of Love 209, 219; Love in a Cold Climate 209; La Petite Hutte 274; Noblesse Oblige 283; The Blessing 297; Madame de Pompadour 308; The Sun King 360-61

  Hammersley, Violet (‘Widow’) and correspondence with NM: Nazism and Communism 139; Edward Stanley scandal 145; Unity Mitford 154; war experiences 148, 159, 163–4; Diana Mitford 163; Spanish refugees 163; Peter Rodd and Adelaide Lubbock affair 173; Free French liaison 175–6; Palewski 194, 197, 314; French society life 254; and Violet’s death 353

  Hanham, Dr (NM’s doctor) 378

  Hare, Humphrey 136

  Harrod, Billa 167, 307, 314–15, 318, 350

  Harrod, Henry 170

  Harrod, Roy 170, 170

  Hartington, Peregrine, Marquess of (son of Deborah Mitford; ‘Stoker’) 170

  Harvey, Lady Maud 253

  Hassan (NM’s manservant; ‘My Good Moor’) 373–4, 375, 379

  Hastings, Selina: Nancy Mitford 9, 278

  Hatherop Castle (NM’s school) 51, 58-9, 66

  Hemingway, Ernest 252

  Hensher, Philip 264, 297

  Herald Tribune 295

  Hesketh, Roger Fleetwood 78, 80

  Heywood Hill (bookshop): NM at Curzon Street 180–3, 197, 218; Paris branch 202–3, 218–9, 225 see also Hill, Heywood

  Hill, Heywood 180–2, 188, 202–3, 244, 376

  Hill, Lady Anne 183, 197, 203

  Hitler, Adolf 120, 131, 140, 144

  Hope-Vere, Rosemary (‘Romie’) 97

  Hospital Rothschild: NM at 369

  Howard, Brian 70, 81, 83, 94

  Hozier, Blanche, Lady (sister-in-law to Bertram Mitford) 21

  Hozier, Clementine (later Churchill) 21

  Hussey, Miss (Mitford governess) 52, 53, 54

  Jackson, Derek (second husband of Pamela Mitford) 130–1, 153, 281

  Jackson, Pamela (née Mitford; NM’s sister; ‘Woman’) 1, 2, 37, 45, 158; relationship with NM 4–5, 8, 47–8, 358, 374; upbringing 57; marriage to Derek Jackson 130; meeting with Hitler 130

  Jackson, Sir Hugh 273

  Jackson, Vivian 131

  Jebb, Gladwyn 162–3, 297

  Jones, Anthony 241

  Kemsley, Lord 269

  Keppel, Alice 300

  Kerr, Deborah 296

  Kersey, Lily (NM’s first nanny; ‘Ninny’) 4–5, 11

  Koenig, Rhoda 279, 295, 364

  Korda, Alexander 293

  Lady, The 17, 23, 36, 86, 87

  Laessoe, Major de 164

  Lancaster, Osbert 175, 195

  Law, Joy 367

  Lees-Milne, Alvilde (née Chaplin) 197, 226, 301, 318, 356, 365, 373

  Lees-Milne, James: Another Self 28, 30; comment on NM 43, 160, 178, 183, 185, 192, 198, 202, 279, 281; and Hamish St Clair-Erskine 93; correspondence with NM 171, 177, 377, 380; NM and Heywood Hill (bookshop) 181; comment on Palewski 185, 186, 197; relationship with Tom Mitford 216; comment on David Mitford 218

  Lehmann, Rosamund 282

  Lillie, Beatrice 252

  Little Hut, The see Petite Hutte, La

  London Films 293

  Lopez, Arturo 254

  Losch, Tilly (actress) 77

  Lottie (NM’s dog) 45, 109

  Love in a Cold Climate: BBC TV 243; radio 359

  Lubbock, Adelaide (NM’s cousin) 173, 243 see also Rodd, Peter

  Lubbock, Eric 173

  Lutyens, Edwin 111

  Mabel (Mitford parlourmaid) 49

  Manchester Guardian 277, 330

  Mari, La Femme et La Mort, Le (Roussin) 275

  Markova, Alicia 169

  Maugham, W. Somerset 113, 286, 297

  Maurois, André 298

  Meade, Jimmie 16

  Mersey, Viscountess 365

  Messel, Oliver 81–2, 185

  Milly (NM’s bulldog) 45, 108, 132, 140, 159, 160, 198

  Milnes-Gaskell, Mary 51, 75, 107

  Mirams, Miss (Mitford governess) 53

  Miranda (Jessica’s pet sheep) 45

  Mitford, Algernon Bertram Freeman, 1st Baron Redesdale (NM’s paternal grandfather) 19–22, 36, 59, 86; Tales of Old Japan 20

  Mitford, Clement (older brother of David Mitford) 22, 37, 43

  Mitford, Clementine (daughter of Clement Mitford; cousin of NM) 37, 44

  Mitford, David Freeman, 2nd Baron Redesdale (NM’s father; ‘Farve’): early life and character 14, 19, 21, 22–4; marriage and birth of NM 14–15, 19, 22–3; as inspiration for ‘Uncle Matthew’ (The Pursuit of Love) 23–31, 32, 123, 143; financial insecurity 36–8, 69; succeeds to family title 37; attitude to education 53–4, 60; comment on Peter Rodd 104; family schisms 130, 140, 155, 216–7; flirtation with Fascism 130–1, 140; buys Inch Kenneth (Inner Hebrides) 142; Rodd’s letter regarding Unity 146; Unity’s illness 155; death of Tom (son) 214–8; and own decline 217–8, 262; reconciliation with Oswald Mosley 262; death 335–6, 338

  Mitford, Deborah see Devonshire, Deborah, Duchess of

  Mitford, Diana see Mosley, Diana, Lady

  Mitford, Helen (widow of Clement Mitford) 37

  Mitford, Jessica see Treuhaft, Jessica

  Mitford, Lady Clementine (née Ogilvie; NM’s grandmother) 21

  Mitford, Nancy (later Rodd; ‘Susan’, ‘Naunce’)

  BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: mole symbol 1; childhood and poor relationship with mother 3–16, 18, 139, 143, 158, 168, 175, 337, 338, 375; childhood jealousy of Pamela 4–5, 8, 47, 55; own childlessness 10–11, 168–2, 282; bond with father and his inspiration for ‘Uncle Matthew’ 23–30, 43; mother as inspiration for ‘Aunt Sadie’ 26, 27; friendship with James Lees-Milne 28–30; relative family poverty 36–8, 41–2; paradoxical love of hunting and animals 44–5; family life and upbringing 45–6, 49–50; teasing and spitefulness 46–9, 278–83; education 50–4, 58, 65; attitude towards sex 51–2, 79–80, 93–4, 186–8; friendship with Vanda Sereza (‘Zella’) 53, 160, 165; love of French language 53–5, 175; need for attention 56–7, 58; relationship with Tom (brother) 58; love of reading and learning 59–61; and of laughter and jokes 61–3; U and Non-U controversy (Noblesse Oblige) 62, 123, 233, 283–7; early experiences of Paris 65, 201; financial difficulties and boredom 68–70; the Slade and bedsit land 72–3; life as one of the Mitford Girls 69, 73–6; love affair with Gaston Palewski 79, 103, 184–92, 193–197, 199–200, 202, 206–07; marriage proposals from Sir Hugh Smiley 79, 97, 101, 103, 104, 107, 109; friendships with homosexual men 81–4, 93–4; close friendship with Evelyn Waugh 81, 206, 370; difficult relations with parents 85–6; beginning of writing career 85–92; failed relationship with Hamish St Clair-Erskine 92–99, 100–1, 199; attraction to Robert Byron 95, 177; suicide attempt 98; marriage to Peter Rodd 99–114, 127, 131–2, 133, 153, 172–4; Diana, Unity and Fascism 117–119, 117, 120–3, 279–81; political views 123–6, 138–9, 232; and work in Spanish refugee camps 134–38, 140, 162–3, 208–09; strained relations with Diana and Jessica 139, 166; Unity’s failed suicide and illness 141–2, 143–4, 155–6; war years 143, 148, 159–60; detachment from family 145–7; decline of marriage to Peter Rodd 146–7, 184, 192, 242–44, 256–9; role in Diana’s imprisonment 162–4, 164–6; pregnancy and affair with Desplats-Pilter (a.k.a. André Roy) 172, 178–80, 184, 192; work as Free French liaison 175–78; Heywood Hill (bookshop) 180–3, 297–8, 203–4, 218, 219–20, 224, 244; Omnibus (TV) controversy 196, 279–81, 364; weekends at Faringdon House 198–9; comment on failed relationsh
ips 199–200; love of Paris 201, 219, 224–30; Palewski as NM’s muse 211–14; death of Tom (brother) 215–17; and separation of parents 217–18, 338; renewal of affair with Palewski 221–4, 225, 242–4; journalism and translation 224, 269–78; new realistic writing style 230–1; reluctant return to London 231; major success of The Pursuit of Love 235–40; wealth and fame 240–42, 245–6; proposal for BBC comedy series 241; returns to Paris 244–5; love of haute couture 246–9, 322; home at 7 rue Monsieur 249–51; life in French society 251–6; hero-worships de Gaulle 258, 295; declining relationship with Palewski 258–61, 339–43, 355–6, 359; death of Unity 261–2; anti-Americanism 295; jealousy of Violet Trefusis 300–1; absorption into French life 302–4; NM approached by MGM 311–12; Palewski made French Ambassador to Rome 311–14; gossip and friendships 313–18, 318–21; relationship with sisters 317–18; acceptance of solitude and ageing 321–3; correspondence with Theodore Besterman 325–8, 330–2, 333, 335, 343; divorce from Peter Rodd 332–35; death of father 335–6, 338; and of mother 336–9; life at Versailles 350–2, 356–8; departing friends 352–55; Palewski’s marriage 363–5; final illness and relations with sisters 363, 365, 369, 372, 374–5; awarded Légion d’Honneur and CBE 396; death 379–81

  DOCUMENTARIES, DRAMATISATIONS AND INTERVIEWS 26, 27, 233, 236, 238, 240, 251, 285, 286, 347, 348, 359

  HEALTH: low stamina 11, 44, 266, 322; gynaecological problems 131–2, 134, 157–8, 167–8, 179, 192; poor sight 322, 360, 362; leg pain 363, 370, 372; cancer 362, 365–6, 367, 368–9, 370, 370–1, 374–5, 378–80

  HOMES AND RESIDENCES: rue d’Artois 3, 343, 350–2, 363–5, 373–5, 378; Graham Street (now Graham Terrace) 3, 9, 45; Victoria Road 3–4; Batsford Park 20, 36–8, 45, 53, 59; Swinbrook House 29, 30, 32, 38, 60, 65–8, 142; Asthall Manor 38, 40–2, 58–60, 69; Rutland Gate 69, 84, 108, 174, 216; Queen’s Gate 72, 84; Canonbury Square 84; Rose Cottage 108; Blomfield Road 113, 140, 158–9, 174, 180, 186, 215, 242, 244; Inch Kenneth 142, 217, 218, 262; Old Mill Cottage 154; Jacob et d’Angleterre 220, 230; rue Bonaparte 220–1, 224, 226, 228 249; Hôtel Pont Royal 227; Hôtel de Bourgogne 227, 246; Hôtel Madison 227; Quai Malaquais 227, 249; rue Monsieur 249–51, 256, 310, 317, 351

  WRITINGS (in page order):

  The Pursuit of Love 3, 7, 32–6, 40, 44, 52, 125, 203–14, 219, 234–42, 245, 348–9, 361

  Love in a Cold Climate 7, 10, 41, 89, 209, 263–6

  La Petite Hutte (Roussin; trans. NM) 274

  Madame de Pompadour 187, 188, 277, 304–11, 324–25, 359

  ‘Mothering the Mitfords’ 7, 10, 11–12, 14, 17, 28, 43, 337

  The Blessing 11, 79, 184–5, 210, 229, 252, 288–300

  Highland Fling 27, 84, 86–90, 92, 123, 157, 207

  Frederick the Great 43–4, 273, 325, 332, 348, 349, 361–2, 367–8

  Noblesse Oblige 61, 124, 233, 283–7

  Pigeon Pie 71, 113, 140, 148–50, 152, 153, 156–7, 194, 206, 213

  ‘At a Point-to-Point’ 87

  Christmas Pudding 90–2, 194, 290

  Wigs on the Green 104, 112, 115–17, 120–3, 125, 138–9, 193

  ‘Rome is Only a Village’ 107, 276

  ‘Two Old Ladies of Eaton Square’ 121

  The Stanleys of Alderley (ed.) 125

  The Ladies of Alderley (ed.) 125, 285

  Voltaire in Love 171, 302, 308, 325–7, 372

  The Water Beetle (collected essays) 211, 245, 368

  Don’t Tell Alfred 217–8, 229, 232, 292–3, 316, 335–6, 343–48

  Kind Hearts and Coronets (film script) 259

  ‘Wicked Thoughts in Greece’ 276

  ‘Letters from Paris’ 271–2

  La Princesse de Clèves (Lafayette; trans. NM) 273–4, 320, 343

  ‘Britain Revisited’ 276

  ‘The Other Island’ 276

  ‘A Queen of France’ 277, 278

  ‘The English Aristocracy’ 283

  Sun King, The 306–7, 325, 348, 358, 360, 367, 370

  Mitford, Pamela see Jackson, Pamela

  Mitford, Sydney, Lady Redesdale (née Bowles; NM’s mother; ‘Muv’): difficult relationship with NM 5–16, 124, 139; marriage and birth of NM 15–16, 19–20, 23–4; early life and character 16–19; as inspiration for ‘Aunt Sadie’ 26, 28, 32, 238; financial insecurity 41–2, 45, 70; attitude to her children’s education 53, 54; family schisms 129, 130, 217–8, 337–8; flirtation with Fascism 129–30, 138-9, 140, 144, 155; letter from NM 137–8; Unity’s illness and effect on marriage 155; death of Tom (son) 215, 217–8; illness and death 336–9

  Mitford, Thomas (NM’s brother; ‘Tom’; ‘Tuddemy’): birth 5; at Eton 22, 29, 36, 50, 82–3; friendship with James Lees-Milne 29; character 58–9; correspondence with NM 65, 82, 96; affair with Tilly Losch 78; friendship with Hamish St Clair-Erskine 94, 97; Fascist sympathies 119, 124, 215; war years 140, 160, 181; death 215

  Mitford, Unity Valkyrie (NM’s sister; ‘Bobo’): Fascism and suicide attempt 20, 57, 70–2, 119–20, 141–3, 143–4; NM’s teasing 48; schooling 50, 56; insulted by Wigs on the Green 118–19, 123–4; aftermath of suicide attempt 154–6, 180, 216; death 261–2, 338

  Mitterrand, François 300

  Morley, Robert 276

  Mortimer, Raymond: comment on Frederick the Great 274, 362, 368–9; Madame de Pompadour 306, 307–8, 325; Voltaire in Love 326; The Sun King 360; and NM’s last years 370–1, 372–3, 375–6, 379

  Mosley, Alexander (son of Diana Mitford): comment on NM 46–7, 79, 263, 282, 309, 316–17, 317, 325; and Peter Rodd 104; on NM’s politics 124, 139; birth 132, 152; imprisonment of mother 165; comment on Palewski 222–3; and NM’s relations with editors 273–4; Noblesse Oblige 285, 287; Madame de Pompadour 305; Don’t Tell Alfred 345

  Mosley, Charlotte (Diana Mosley’s daughter-in-law) 101–2

  Mosley, Diana, Lady (née Mitford, then Guinness; NM’s sister; ‘Honks’): comment on NM 5, 8–9, 132, 207, 226, 282, 303; NM’s relationship with mother 13–14, 16; espousal of Fascism 20, 72, 120–1, 165, 279–81; comment on parents 28–9; and Hons and Rebels 33; NM’s teasing of siblings 47–9; brief school days 51; recollections of home life 57, 59; marriage to Bryan Guinness (first husband) 70, 71, 76, 85; marriage to Oswald Mosley 70, 71, 98, 102, 120; comment on Peter Rodd 101, 104, 105, 106; anger at Wigs on the Green 117–19, 121–3; birth of son Max 152; imprisonment and NM’s role relationship with Tom (brother) 58; 162–5, 197; comment on Palewski 191, 221–2; Omnibus controversy 196, 279–81, 364; death of Tom 217–8; letters from NM 231, 257, 258;

  A Life of Contrasts 240

  Mosley, Lady Cynthia (née Curzon) 102

  Mosley, Max 152, 345

  Mosley, Nicholas (son of Oswald Mosley): Natalie Natalia 188

  Mosley, Sir Oswald (second husband of Diana Mitford; ‘Kit’): and Diana Mitford 70–1, 85, 102, 120, 122; on Palewski 79; Fascism and imprisonment 116, 121, 122–3, 161–2, 163, 197; parodied in ‘Two Old Ladies from Eaton Square’ 122–3; and in Wigs on the Green 122, 123; friendship with and death of Tom Mitford 216

  Murray, Pauline and Basil 229

  Murray, Venetia 229

  Mussolini, Benito 121

  Nancy Mitford: A Portrait by Her Sisters (TV) 27

  Nancy Mitford’s Versailles (TV) 348

  Nicolson, Harold 185, 306, 331

  Norwich, John Julius: comment on NM 79, 96, 171, 194, 213, 266, 279, 283, 287; and Hamish St Clair-Erskine 94; and Peter Rodd 100, 103, 104; NM’s homes 113, 227; on Palewski 190–1, 195, 222–3, 311; Omnibus controversy 196, 279–81, 372; NM’s final illness 377

  Nuffield Hospital, NM at 398–9

  O’Neill, Mary (‘Middy’) 75

  Observer 294, 359

  Ogilvie, Clementine, Lady see Mitford, Clementine

  Ogilvie-Grant, Mark: close friendship with NM 82, 259; and correspondence 85, 87, 92, 95–6, 97, 100, 107, 108, 157–8, 163, 267, 364-5; war years 181, 218

  Oliver, Vic 239

  Olivier, Laurence 252

  Omnibus (TV): 196, 279–80, 364

  Palewski
, Gaston (‘Col’): love affair with NM 79, 184–87, 189–92, 193–96, 197, 200, 202, 213–23, 242–4, 257, 288, 299–300; war work 186–7, 197; as NM’s muse (The Pursuit of Love) 212–14; post-war political work 220–2, 225, 312–13, 342; cooling of affair with NM 259–61, 311–14; alleged affair with Violet Trefusis 301; made French Ambassador to Rome 310, 311–14; end of relationship with NM 339–42, 355–6; birth of illegitimate son 340–1; marriage 342, 363–5; NM’s final illness and death 377–8, 380

  Palewski, Violette (née Talleyrand-Périgord; wife of Gaston Palewski) 363, 365

  Penguin (publishers) 245, 273

  Père-Lachaise cemetery: NM’s cremation 380

  Peter (NM’s dog) 45

  Peters, A.D. (NM’s literary agent) 241, 270

  Petite Hutte, La (Roussin; adapt. NM) 274–6, 303

  Philipps, Hon. Mrs see Lehmann, Rosamund

  Pinter, Harold 326

  Pompidou, Georges 342

  Powell, Anthony 39, 282, 344, 378

  Pryce-Jones, David: Unity Mitford:

  A Quest 16, 28, 45, 50, 56, 65, 73–4, 141

  Pursuit of Love, The: BBC TV 243; Bristol Old Vic (musical) 361

  Quennell, Peter 267, 332

  Rachel (NM’s horse) 44

  Radice, Betty 273

  Radziwill, Princess Dolly 255, 303, 318, 319, 353

  Rainbird, George (publisher) 274, 361, 362, 367

  Ratular (Unity’s pet rat) 45

  Redé, Baron Alexis de 254

  Redesdale Cottage (David Mitford’s final home) 262, 335

  Renard, Marie (NM’s maid) 251, 317–18, 373–4

  Rennell, 1st Lord of (father of Peter Rodd) 105–7, 110–11

  Rennell, Lady (mother of Peter Rodd) 105, 131, 175, 266

  Rhys, Jean 324: Good Morning, Midnight 224; Quartet 224

  Rodd, Francis (older brother of Peter Rodd) 105, 110, 132, 152

  Rodd, Peter (‘Prod’; husband of NM): marriage to NM 1, 99–102, 106–8, 109, 299; appearance 102–3, 313; erudition 103–4; personality 104–5; irresponsibility 105, 110–11, 118, 134; affair with Mary Sewell 112–13, 113–15, 133; work in Spanish refugee camps 134–6; war years 144, 146, 157, 160, 185; decline of marriage to NM 146–7, 174, 184, 192, 242–4, 256–9; affair with Adelaide Lubbock 173–4; meeting with Palewski 185; divorce from NM 333–35; death 334–5, 353

  Romilly, Constancia (second daughter of Jessica Mitford) 153