The Mitfords

by Charlotte Mosley

  Nancy seems v. pleased with huge sales of Louis. I got a letter from D. Scherman1 (my lifeman) to say the Life review has closed, Life-ese for meaning it’s definitely going to run; he says a review in Life automatically means at least 10,000 more sold on acct. of its huge circulation; they only do one review a week, so I’m awfully glad that worked.

  Deborah and Jessica pulling ‘Boudledidge’ faces. Chatsworth, 1960s.

  That dress you gave me saved my life in Greece, as temp. was in the 80’s. Thanks so much, Hen.

  Oh dear it is sad to be off. Leaving here on Friday. N. is having a lunch pty for us today; I tried to get a clean suit to wear at it (as all my things are filthy by now) but no luck, all has to be made.

  Much love and do write, Yr Hen

  Did I tell you there’s an historical note in the lobby of this hotel with an English translation that says in part, ‘The famous author Chateaubriand was leaving here from 1814 to 1816’. So whenever it’s time to be off, I think hopefully of Chateaubriand (I suppose he couldn’t get a taxi?).

  Darling Debo:

  Yesterday I went over to Naunce at Versailles. We sat on bits of The Times laid on aubretia on the low wall. Then this is how it goes: sweet architect shows Naunce a long bit of paper with a lot of typing & a few figures, she looks at figures & then unbelievingly at architect. ‘Can this be right?’ she says ‘but it’s too wonderful, a gift. Only a million1 for paint? Are you sure?’ Turning to me, ‘Only a million for all those rooms AND that cupboard & only a million & a half for the new radiators. Aren’t you amazed?’ Sweet architect reels & sweet carpenter turns away to hide his emotion. We go upstairs to discuss cornices. In one room there is more than ¾ of the cornice in excellent order. Me, ‘Where is the rest of this cornice?’ Sweet carpenter, doubtfully, ‘I suppose it may be down there’ indicating heaps of mouldings in the garden. He goes down & comes back, ‘Can’t see it’. Naunce, ‘Well then, don’t you think …?’ Me, in whisper, ‘Make him mend it’. Sweet architect & ditto carpenter in chorus, ‘Alors?’ Naunce, ‘Oh I think a new one really, isn’t it simpler?’ Then she says. ‘Won’t you have a cheque? Oh do. You must need one by now. It’s ages isn’t it since you last had one. When I get back? Are you quite sure?’ Sweet arch & carp reel again. Sweet arch produces carpet patterns & estimate. Naunce, ‘Only HALF a million for all that? Well that is a weight off my mind. Though I had a feeling you would find something really lovely, only I never guessed the price! I can hardly believe it.’

  I think you ought to tell heirling2 all this because he may think she’s wasting his substance. The house is going to be TOO LOVELY.

  Alvilde came. I like her so much but she is very discontented & with somebody rather low horse-power like Jim it must depress them both.

  All love, Honks

  Darling Soo

  The vileness of this paper is your fault. You are a saint to send that cutting-yes very favourable to sales I’d have thought. They all have to go beefing on about those wretched peasants, it’s the fashion I know. Shows they haven’t got a clue about either French history or the causes of the revolution wh was a middle class upheaval. Never mind.

  Were it not for you I’d never have known that Life had reviewed the book. I get sad little letters from Canfield saying the sales are far from good, & that’s all.

  I’ve been with Henderson who had a vast house party of jolly, rich people-then to the D of Wellington, alone with him, Bettine Abingdon1 & his librarian & that was very nice too. Came back yesterday & was told by Marie the concierge hadn’t been seen for some time-I forced the landlord to ring up the police. Result: nine pompiers [firemen] & a coffin. She had been dead for days. I told Wellington-even his love of the macabre would have been satisfied (he longs to meet you & subscribes to The Casket). The scene in the courtyard by electric torches was indescribable. Poor little Mme Brard-I never liked her much but she was pitiable. They’ve already found about £1,000 in various parts of her lodge!

  I’ve got a mass of letters to write, so continue in our next.

  With more thanks indeed, Susan

  Dereling

  Many Happies-but where to send them? Oi don’t know. How old we are, eet ees deesgusting-I wonder if we smell old like people used to. One lars [alas].

  28 Nov 66 Well I left this to moulder & got yours this mg from a very improbable address but also one from Debo expecting you there.

  The list!1 Diana & I are already on non-speakers over it but finally arranged for her to fetch the things (all that either you or the others don’t want) & then will fight it out here. But be sure to take what you do want regardless of us. I die specially for the opal brooch & the Miss Mitford watch. If Debo begins to say she wants anything kindly direct her gaze to the Chatsworth Safe & say I said so. Take her there & shut the door on her until the things are in Forceful Lady Mosley’s bag. (Though Lady M is putty in her hands I fear.)

  I’ve got to do a thing on the Fr. wireless & must flee

  Much love, Naunceling

  Dear Miss

  I’ve received a cookery book1 of unrivalled snobbishness &, idly turning its pages I was astounded by the sight of a well known hand, ah yes, that of the 9 year old. Playing at kitchens, are we? Eng. receipts are very useless to me as they are full of things like breadcrumbs which can’t be got here & also I can’t do ounces into French. Nevair. But I note some variations of egg mousse I’d rather like to try. Nearly all the foreign words are spelt wrong. I don’t know whether to say so when I thank-perhaps not. Also the 9 year old lady writer got beaton instead of beaten, no doubt owing to a subconscious love of Kek.2 Interesting.

  I sent Alph a tiny sum of money, less than I’d meant to but it’s all the foreign exchange allows without a permit. Never had such a letter of thanks. It’s for his daughter’s village where all are ruined.3 A friend of mine who has just come from Rome says the Romans neither know nor care about the horrors in the north which she says are beyond imagination. Italians. The limit.

  I’ve got a huge luncheon party now, including Andrew’s friend Mary McCarthy4 the worst part of whom is her second half-whom of course I shall have to sit by. Nevair.

  Love, N

  I see you are so busy writing out receipts that you’ve got no time now for ONE.

  * * *

  1 Patrick Leigh Fermor (1915 –). The writer and traveller, whose books include A Time of Gifts (1978) and Between the Woods and the Water (1986), was a close friend of the Devonshires. At the time, he was staying in the Easton Court Hotel, Chagford, Devon, an establishment expressly run to suit the needs of writers.

  2 Joan Eyres Monsell (1912–2003). Photographer. Married to John Rayner 1939—47, and to Patrick Leigh Fermor in 1967.

  3 Janetta Woolley (1922—). Worked on Horizon during the war. Married to Robert Kee 1948—50, to Derek Jackson 1951—6, and to Jaime Parladé in 1971.

  1 Cora Antinori (1896—1974). A Florentine who worked for Schiaparelli and later at the famous interior decorating shop, Jansen. Married Prince Michelangelo Caetani in 1920.

  1 Hons and Rebels.

  2 Nancy and Deborah had been shopping in the rue du Faubourg St – Honoré, one of Paris’s smartest streets.

  3 Robert Kee.

  1 Jessica had fantasized that she would pretend to convert to fascism, go with Unity to Germany, meet Hitler face to face and ‘whip out a pistol and shoot him dead’. Hons and Rebels, p. 81.

  2 Violet Gibson (d.1956). Daughter of a Northern Irish peer who attempted to assassinate Mussolini in 1926, wounding him in the nose.

  3 Khrushchev was making an eleven – day state visit to France.

  4 ‘Communists’ in Boudledidge.

  1 Airmail. Nancy regarded it as ‘very middle – class to be in a hurry’.

  2 The Earl of Birkenhead described Hons and Rebels as a ‘shameless but most diverting book’, and Jessica and Esmond as an ‘alarming couple’, admirably suited, ‘who were further linked together by a mutual amorality which at moments approached the sub
lime’. Daily Telegraph, 25 March 1960.

  1 Bertram Mitford, 3rd Baron Redesdale (1880—1962). Jessica had written that her uncle, a Justice of the Peace, took pleasure in handing out a three – month prison sentence to a woman who had driven into a cow and enjoyed his duty of being a witness at hangings.

  2 Constantia Fenwick; a neighbour at Asthall and childhood friend of Nancy.

  1 In his Observer review, Anthony Quinton wrote, ‘If they [the Redesdales] had been at the other end of the social scale they might well have been thought unfit to look after their own children, though regular work might have done something to abate Lord Redesdale’s absurdities.’ (27 March 1960)

  1 Countess Mountbatten of Burma had been buried at sea with great pomp and wide media coverage.

  1 The newspaper had reported that Nancy was included in a list of people who were required to report to the police during Khrushchev’s visit. The British embassy protested and it was found that the police ‘had confused’ Nancy with Diana. Daily Mail, 23 March 1960.

  2 Sir Gladwyn Jebb was British ambassador to Paris at the time.

  3 Ann Charteris (1913—81). Social and political hostess. Married to 3rd Baron O’Neill 1932—44, to 2nd Viscount Rothermere 1945—52, and to Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, in 1952.

  4 Pamela.

  1 Brooks Richards (1918—2002). Press Counsellor at the British embassy.

  2 Maurice Papon (1910—2007). Politician who was Prefect of Police in Paris 1958—67. In 1998, he was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment for his role in the deportation of Jews during the Occupation.

  3 President Eisenhower had made an official visit to Paris the previous year.

  1 Nancy and Pamela were staying at the Devonshires’ London house.

  2 After his party’s poor result in the general election, Mosley had asked the High Court to order an inspection of the ballot papers for evidence of fraud.

  3 Lady Bridget Parsons (1907—72). Beautiful, grumpy, unmarried daughter of the 5th Earl of Rosse.

  1 Diana ended her letter, ‘My sister’s book was probably meant to amuse rather than be “wise”, “loyal” or truthful.’ Times Literary Supplement, 8 April 1960.

  2 John (Jack, Jicksy) Mitford, 4th Baron Redesdale (1885—1963). Spent all his inheritance in one year in America and was penniless for the rest of his life. In 1914 he was married, very briefly, to Marie – Anne von Friedländer – Fuld.

  1 Mark Ogilvie – Grant.

  1 Diana’s son Max married Jean Taylor on 9 July 1960.

  2 Anna Maria Cicogna.

  3 Bettina Jones (1902—93). Elegant American who worked for Schiaparelli and then Lanvin. In 1934, she married Gaston Bergery, Vichy ambassador in Russia and Turkey.

  4 The Sign of the Fish (1960). Personal reminiscences and a discussion of literary style.

  1 Old Moore’s Almanac, an astrological magazine founded in the seventeenth century. Macmillan held office until October 1963.

  1 In Don’t Tell Alfred, Nancy drew on the character of Alexander Mosley for Basil, Diana Cooper for Lady Leone, Lord Redesdale for Uncle Matthew, Edward Sackville – West for Davey Warbeck and Deborah for Northey.

  1 A friend of the sisters, Elizabeth Winn, inspired by the prayer – book marriage service vow, ‘with my body I thee worship’ was once overheard addressing her dog with the words, ‘I worship your body’. ‘This expression was taken on by Debo, and applied to people, animals and inanimate objects she happened to like.’ Loved Ones (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985), p. 50.

  1 Edward (Fred) Bailey (d.2002). An East Ender who had been a keen supporter of Mosley since before the war.

  1 Robert Laycock (1907—68). Distinguished soldier and Colonel Commandant of the SAS 1960—8. Married Angela Dudley Ward in 1935.

  2 William Stirling (1911—83). Brother of SAS founder, David Stirling, who succeeded to the command of the 2nd SAS Regiment in 1943. Married Susan Bligh in 1940.

  1 Deborah’s childhood friend was working in a decorator’s shop in Sloane Street, London.

  2 A furrier who was making a sable coat for Diana, a present from Deborah.

  1 Three – year—old Sophia Cavendish.

  1 John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration took place on 20 January 1961.

  1 Elsa Schiaparelli (1890—1973). The Italian – born clothes designer had closed her Paris shop in 1954, after thirty years at the head of French fashion.

  2 André Malraux (1901—76). The writer and adventurer was France’s first Minister of Culture 1959—69.

  3 Lord Gladwyn had retired as British ambassador to Paris and was sitting in the House of Lords as a Liberal peer.

  1 Nancy’s editor at Hamish Hamilton.

  2 A nickname given to Mark Ogilvie – Grant who, to curry favour with Lord Redesdale when staying at Swinbrook in the 1930s, had staggered down to the dining room on the dot of eight to be greeted by his host with a cheery ‘Brains for breakfast!’

  1 Fontaines, a chateau near Meaux, where Nancy often stayed, sometimes for a month at a time. It was owned by her old friend Countess Costa de Beauregard (1874—1966), a childhood friend of Violet Hammersley.

  2 The bills for heating Chatsworth were so enormous that Deborah wished she could buy shares in it.

  3 Félix Gaillard (1919—70). The last Prime Minister of France’s Fourth Republic had been staying at the French embassy in Rome at the same time as Deborah and Nancy.

  4 A stately home such as Chatsworth, Petworth or Mereworth.

  5 Diane de Castellane (1927—). Married the Duke of Mouchy in 1948.

  6 Mrs Henry de la Pasture’s 1907 novel was a comic satire of Edwardian country – house life.

  7 The eighteen – year—old daughter of Heywood and Anne Hill was in Paris learning French.

  1 Jacques Brousse (d.2001). Translator of Nancy’s later books into French.

  2 ‘Several times.’

  3 One of the Mitfords’ governesses used to pronounce ‘interesting’ thus and a chant arose among the children, ‘Oh how inter – esting, isn’t it inter – esting’. The sisters went on using the word in this way, often to describe something less than really interesting.

  1 A dance that Deborah was giving in London for eighteen – year—old Emma and sixteen – year—old Peregrine.

  2 Viscount Charles de Noailles (1891—1981). Patron of the Surrealists and expert gardener. His cousin, Anne – Jules de Noailles (1900—79), was a connoisseur of porcelain.

  3 ‘You must cut it HERE.’

  4 Sir Matthew (Martin) Wilson (1906—91). London antiques dealer with a shop in the Portobello Road.

  1 David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort (1928—). Partner in Marlborough Fine Art, the gallery that represented Lucian Freud.

  2 When Andrew Devonshire went to view Freud’s portrait of Deborah for the first time, there was another man in the studio. ‘Andrew looked long at the picture until the other man asked, “Who is that?” “It’s my wife.” “Well, thank God it’s not mine.”’ Counting My Chickens, p. 160.

  3 Lady Antonia Pakenham (1932—). The writer’s career as an historical biographer was launched in 1969 with Mary Queen of Scots. Married to Sir Hugh Fraser, MP, 1956—77, and to the playwright Harold Pinter in 1980.

  1 According to Nancy, the doctor who operated on her after her ectopic pregnancy asked if she had ever been in contact with syphilis. When she mentioned this to her mother, Lady Redesdale replied, rather vaguely, that Nancy’s nursery – maid had been infected with it. Although it was patently not the cause of her sterility, Nancy thereafter blamed her mother for her inability to have children.

  2 Sir Edward Cunard (1890—1962). Brother of Nancy’s great friend and correspondent Victor Cunard who had died the previous year.

  3 ‘Sustained correspondence.’

  1 An expression often used by Deborah meaning ‘to leave’ or ‘to go’.

  1 Nancy was staying with Sir William Hayter (1906—95), Minister at Paris 1949—53, ambassador to Moscow 1953—6, and Warden of New College 1958
—76. Married Iris Grey in 1938.

  2 John Stuart (1925—90). Nicknamed Stavros Niarchos because his complexion was more Mediterranean than Scotch.

  3 Kensington Davison, 3rd Baron Broughshane (1914—2006). Opera administrator and critic.

  1 ‘It’s always the same thing, “I have been odious to the guests.”’

  1 A summit meeting in Bermuda between Macmillan and Kennedy had nearly been cancelled because the President’s father, Joseph Kennedy (1888—1969), had suffered a massive stroke.

  2 The Devonshire family emblem is a snake.

  3 A loan exhibition of 114 Old Master drawings from Chatsworth was to tour American museums, beginning at the National Gallery in Washington.

  1 The United Nations had sent peace – keeping troops to the Congo in an effort to prevent a civil war. Serious allegations had been made concerning atrocities committed by UN forces.

  1 In 1813, Beau Brummel, in a famous remark that sealed his social downfall, asked Lord Alvanley, co – host of a ball he was giving, ‘Who’s your fat friend?’, referring to the Prince Regent (‘Prinny’), the future George IV.

  1 Hervé Alphand was French ambassador to Washington 1956—65.

  2 Maurice Bowra (1898—1971). Before taking up his post as Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, in 1938, the classical scholar had lectured for a year at Harvard.

  1 Alexander had enrolled at Ohio State University to read philosophy.

  2 Ad lai Stevenson (1900—65). Politician and diplomat. US ambassador to the UN 1961—5.

  3 Jessica had begun research on The American Way of Death (1963), her exposé of the funeral industry.

  1 Violet Hammersley was staying at an hotel in South Kensington which Nancy had recommended.

  1 Andrew Devonshire’s secretary.

  1 Oonagh Guinness’s third husband, the Cuban designer Miguel Ferreras, had shown his collection in Paris.