Royal Albert Hall 69
Savoy Chapel 267
Spealls (South Audley Street) 53–4
Thomas of Bond Street (silversmiths) 28
Westminster Abbey 42
Wigmore Hall 277
London Mercury 167
Long Barn (Kent)
bought by Vita 103
descriptions of 103–4, 111
Big Room 105, 180, 207, 209
changes and additions 105–6
field, farm and land added 105, 132, 198
Violet stays at 119
Vita’s work in the garden 120, 132, 133
Vita’s return to after her affair with Violet 140
Dottie stays at 147, 148
Geoffrey Scott’s visit to 154–5, 156
Virginia stays at 169–70
dogs moved to Sissinghurst 182
Hilda Matheson stays at 192, 193
swimming pool at 194
fragmented living space at 206
Big Room recreated at Sissinghurst 207
sold to her mother 214
damaged by a bomb 268
Louet, Mademoiselle, ‘Bonny’ 20–1
Louis XIII 47
Lubbock, Percy 157
Lutyens, Edwin 131, 175, 248
Lytton, Victor Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl 113
Macaulay, Rose 1
MacCarthy, Desmond 191
MacDonald, Ramsay 259
Macmillan, Miss ‘Mac’ (Vita’s secretary) 207, 259, 274
MacNeice, Louis 277, 278
McSweeney, Joy 234, 239
Manor House (East Coker, Somerset) 271–2
Margaret, Princess 267, 277
Marie Antoinette, Queen 5
Marvell, Andrew 233
Mary I 204
Mary, Queen of Scots 283
Massereene, Jean Barbara Ainsworth, Viscountess 108
Matheson, Hilda
affair with Vita 190–6, 254
forced to resign from the BBC 196, 218
Vita dedicates a book to 196
as secretary-cum-manager at Sissinghurst 215
friendship with Dottie 233
conceives the ‘Britain at War’ and ‘Britain in Pictures’ series 265
responsible for media propaganda during the war 266
death of 267
Maurois, Andre 278
Mayne, Ethel Colburn, The Life of Lady Byron 194
Meynell & Pemberton (solicitors) 49, 202–3
Michael Joseph (publishers) 269, 289
Miss Woolff’s school (London) 41–2, 44, 48, 56
Monk’s House (Rodmell, Sussex) 168, 181, 216
Monte Carlo 21, 129–30, 133
Moore, George 103, 110
Moore, Viscount 91
Morgan, John Pierpont 2
Morning Post 107
Morrell, Lady Ottoline 157
Mortimer, Raymond 170, 203, 227
Moscow 28
Mosley, Sir Oswald 215, 236–7
Murray, Sir George 1
Nadré, Mademoiselle, ‘Goggy’ (governess to Ben and Nigel) 153
Napoleon Bonaparte 38
National Gardens Scheme 208
National Government 259
National Labour Party 259
National Trust 275, 284, 296
New Party 215, 218, 236–7
New Statesman 201, 221, 256, 257, 265
The New York Times 6
Nicholas II 28, 91
Nichols, Beverley 278
Nicolson, Sir Arthur, Baron Carnock (1849–1928) 67, 68, 210
Nicolson, Gwen 91, 101
Nicolson, Harold (1886–1968)
descriptions of 60–1, 65, 66–7, 289–90
family background 67–9
relationship with Vita 32, 76, 86–7, 114, 117, 123–4, 125, 126, 146, 213–14, 237, 238–9, 257–8, 262, 284–6, 293
given selective description of Vita’s childhood 33, 74
with Vita at Knole 60–1, 65, 87
on-and-off courtship of Vita 63, 64–6, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 86–8
marries Vita 63, 89–98
attitude towards his numerous affairs 66–7
as homosexual 67
diplomatic service 68, 82, 156–7, 170–1, 176–8, 181, 182, 184, 186
unofficial engagement to Lady Eileen Wellesley 69–70
at château Malet 78
in Constantinople 82, 83, 87, 94–7
sends Vita a wooden figure of St Barbara 85–6
accompanies Vita and her parents to the Scott trial 88
delighted at Vita’s pregnancy 98
exempted from fighting and transferred to War Department 98
gives a field at Long Barn to Vita for her birthday 104–5
contracts a venereal disease at Knebworth 113–14
reactions to Vita’s numerous ‘muddles’ 115–16, 118–19, 122, 123, 132–4, 142, 149, 154, 155, 161, 181, 184, 185–6, 233
spends Christmas without Vita 130
comment on Rothenstein’s portrait of Vita 150
posted to Tehran 156–7, 170–1, 176–8, 182
learns of Vita’s friendship with Virginia Woolf 163, 166–7, 169
comment on Vita’s writing 172
travels with Vita in Persia 176–7
praises The Land 178
posted to Berlin 181, 184, 186
offered a job by Lord Beaverbrook 194–5, 213
agrees to the purchase of Sissinghurst 201–5
importance of Sissinghurst to 205, 254, 284
radio broadcast 213
regrets the sale of Long Barn 214
edits Action 215, 218
financial position 215, 216–17, 227, 237–8, 239, 254, 294
leaves the Evening Standard and becomes unemployed 215
American tour 223–7
unhappy at mistaken change of career 229, 236
dislikes The Dark Island 241
joins Vita and Gwen St Aubyn in Portofino 245
scatters Victoria’s ashes at sea 248
political beliefs and career 257, 258–9, 262–3, 275
concerned at Vita’s wish for solitude 261–2, 270, 288
instructs Vita to have the car ready in case of German invasion 264
aware of Vita’s drinking and her ‘muzzy moods’ 270
friendship with Violet 272, 273
loses both his seat in the election and his rooms at King’s Bench Walk 274
remains in London after the war 274–5
contributes to various journals and magazines 275, 278–9
visits Chelsea Flower Show 278
delighted at Vita being awarded Companion of Honour 282, 284
agrees to write biography of George V 289
given a knighthood 289–90
comment on Sissinghurst 290
health of 293
goes on several cruises with Vita 294, 295
death of 296
works by
Another World Than This (with Vita) 273
The Archduke 217
Byron: The Last Journey 237
Public Faces 223
Sweet Waters 172
Nicolson, Lionel Benedict, ‘Detto’ or ‘Ben’ (1914–78)
birth of 98, 103
childhood 108–9, 206
health of 109
relationship with his parents 117
effect of Vita’s affair with Violet on 119
Christmas without Vita 130
given a pony for his birthday 140
in Brittany 153
discovers Geoffrey Scott changing for dinner at Long Barn 155
education 174, 215, 217, 229
life at Sissinghurst 208
fictionalised in Family Portrait 217
suffers nervous breakdown 229
helps to design dust jacket for The Dark Island 241
helps in the garden at Sissinghurst 247
inherits money from Victoria 248
learns of his parents’ sexual proclivities from Victoria 249
> dislike of the modern world 255
wartime occupation 263, 269
meets Violet in Yeovil 272
recuperates at Sissinghurst 273
as Deputy Surveyor of the King’s Pictures 275
marriage of 290
Nicolson, Mary Katherine Hamilton, Lady Carnock 67, 203, 210
Nicolson, Nigel (1917–2004)
birth of 104
relationship with his parents 117
effect of Vita’s affair with Violet on 119
Christmas without Vita 130
in Brittany 153
discovers Geoffrey Scott changing for dinner at Long Barn 155
comment on Orlando 164
education 174, 215, 217
health of 183
first view of Sissinghurst 197
memories of Vita’s initials on equipment at Sissinghurst 205
childhood 206
life at Sissinghurst 208
comment on Vita’s writing 220
helps in the garden at Sissinghurst 247
inherits money from Victoria 248
learns of his parents’ sexual proclivities from Victoria 249
wartime army career 249, 269
returns to Sissinghurst after the war 273
elected Conservative MP for Bournemouth 275
marriage of 290
transfers Sissinghurst to the National Trust 296
Northumberland, Lord 158
Norton, Thomas 204
Observer 107, 179, 267, 279, 280, 282, 289, 291
Onlooker 39–40
Pall Mall Gazette 7
Paris 4, 49, 129, 131, 133, 137
Ritz Hotel 131, 132
Paris Peace Talks (1919) 131
Parr, Catherine 5
Parratt, Sir Walter 42
Patterson, Mrs (Vita’s nurse) 11, 12, 15–16
Pemberton, Mr (solicitor) 49
Pepita see Durán, Josefa ‘Pepita’ (‘Countess West’)
Percy, Lord Eustace 235
Pirie, Irene 113
Platt, Ronald (gardener at Sissinghurst) 294
Polignac, Winnaretta Singer, Princess Edmond de 291–2
Polperro (Cornwall) 122, 123, 124, 126, 192
Port Sunlight (Wirral) 120
Potocki, Count Joseph 48–9
Powys, Albert ‘A. R. P.’ 228
Pucci, Orazio 61, 78, 79, 81, 89
Pym, Violet 292
Quennell, Peter 260–1
Radio Paris 233
Radio Times 192
Ragley Hall (Warwickshire) 84–5
Récamier, Madame Juliette 42
Reed, Henry 277
Renby Grange (Tunbridge Wells) 266
Reville & Rossiter (Court dressmakers) 90
Reza Shah Pahlavi 175, 177–8
Rhind, Cecil 248
Ribblesdale, Thomas Lister, 4th Baron 110
Rilke, Rainer Maria, Duineser Elegien 218–19
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai, Scheherazade 127, 160
Rinder, Olive 231, 233, 239
Roberts, Denys Kilham ‘DKR’ 276–7
The Centuries’ Poetry (editor) 277
Romania, Crown Princess Marie of 283
Rome 21, 109–10, 147, 151
Rostand, Edmond, Cyrano de Bergerac 37, 42
Rothenstein, Sir William 150
Royal Horticultural Society 282
Rubens, Olive
as Lionel’s mistress 4, 59, 173–4
sings an anthem at Vita’s wedding 91–2
features in Vita’s will 101
as godmother to Vita’s baby son 104
in Omar Khayyam tableau 108
nurses Lionel in his final illness 186
Rumbold, Richard, Little Victims 118
Rutland, Henry Manners, 8th Duke of 63, 68
Sackville, Cecily Baker 204, 205
Sackville, Charles, 6th Earl of Dorset (1638–1706) 39, 230, 291
‘Dorinda’s Sparkling Wit and Eyes’ 70
Sackville, (Lionel) Cranfield, 1st Duke of Dorset (1688–1765) 42, 57, 58, 79, 112
Sackville, Edward, 4th Earl of Dorset (1591–1652) 33, 38–9
Sackville, Herbrand, 9th Earl De La Warr ‘Buck’ (1900–76) 259
Sackville, Herbrand de (c.1040–79) 27
Sackville, John, 3rd Duke of Dorset (1745–99) 200
Sackville, Thomas, 1st Earl of Dorset (1536–1608) 67, 204, 283
Sackville-West, Amalia 9, 24, 277
Sackville-West, Bertrand George ‘Bertie’ (1872–1959) 95
Sackville-West, Charles, 4th Baron (1870–1962) 73, 186, 295
Sackville-West, Edward ‘Eddy’, 5th Baron (1901–65) 73–4, 182, 187, 219, 295
The Ruin 199–200
Sackville-West, Flora 9
Sackville-West, Henry 9, 104
Sackville-West, Lionel, 2nd Baron Sackville (1827–1908)
affair and illegitimate children 4, 73, 107
relationship with Vita 16, 18, 21
puts money into Vita’s post office account 17
descriptions of 21, 53
helps further Lionel’s career 27–8
portrait by de László 77
Sackville-West, Lionel Edward, 3rd Baron Sackville (1867–1928) 68
description of 50–1, 52–3, 70
marriage to Victoria 3–4
has numerous affairs 4, 59, 103
lifestyle aired in court 7–8
defends his inheritance 8–9
reaction to birth of Vita 13–14
introduces Victoria to English novelists 14
as honorary attaché in Rome 27–8
breakdown of his marriage 50–4, 73, 131, 172–4
comment on sex with Victoria 50, 73
disappointment in Vita 60
joins the West Kent Yeomanry 104
given yacht by Victoria 138
attempts to find tenants for Knole 141
death and funeral of 186–7
Sackville-West, Max 9
Sackville-West, Victoria (1862–1936)
descriptions of 2–3, 8, 13, 19, 189
education and family background 3
as beneficiary of Murray Scott’s will 2, 5–8
as chatelaine of Knole 3–4, 19–20, 24, 25
friendship with Murray Scott 3, 5–6, 48, 53, 54
marriage 4, 7–8, 15, 16–17, 20
defends her husband’s inheritance 8–9
birth of Vita 12–13
relationship with Vita 15, 16–18, 21, 22–4, 28, 29–30, 34, 40–1, 49–50, 60, 103, 107, 120, 130, 154, 172, 174, 181, 189–90
opens post office account for Vita 17
foreign travel 20–1
pet tortoise inset with diamonds 25
makes a will 49
breakdown of her marriage 50–4, 73, 172–4
opens a shop in South Audley street 53–4
restricts Vita’s correspondence with Harold Nicolson 83, 86
loans Vita the money to buy house in Ebury Street 104
suffers a nervous breakdown 104
gives Vita and Harold a Rolls-Royce 105
organises Ben Nicolson’s christening 111
buys townhouses in Brighton 131, 160, 173
prevents publication of Vita’s novel Challenge 136–7
gives Lionel a yacht 138
reaction to Vita’s affair with Geoffrey Scott 153
cancels loan on Ebury Street but clears Harold’s tax debt 155
moves to White Lodge near Roedean 174
reaction to death of Lionel 186–7
demands return of pearls from Vita 189–90
buys Long Barn 214
sends grocery hampers and items from Knole to Vita 229–30
death of 247–9
Book of Happy Reminiscences 174
Sackville-West, Victoria Mary ‘Vita’ (1892–1962)
birth and childhood 11–19, 20–35
character and descriptions of 28, 29–30, 43, 55–6, 63, 69, 73–4, 97, 144�
��5, 150–1, 226, 228, 239, 260–1, 270, 290–1
family background 2–10
education 41–2, 43
left necklaces and money by Murray Scott 5, 89, 189–90
told to tell the truth but not all the truth by her mother 7–8
inheritance as vexed issue 10, 73
relationship with her parents 15, 16–18, 21, 22–4, 28, 29–30, 34, 40–1, 49–50, 60, 70–1, 103, 154, 172, 174, 189–90
dolls belonging to 17–18
post office account opened for 17
foreign travel 20–1, 48–9, 52, 82–3, 87, 151, 194, 217, 221, 223–7, 232–3, 244–5, 273, 294–5
centrality of Knole to 25–7, 28, 29, 32, 43–4, 73–4, 78, 81, 87, 92–3, 186, 187, 265–6, 284–6
guide-work at Knole 28–9
learns cruelty from her mother 30–2
given a cricket bat by Seery 31
passion for secrecy 32, 53
relationship with Harold 32, 76, 86–7, 114, 117, 123–4, 125, 126, 146, 213–14, 237, 238–9, 257–8, 262, 284–6
enjoys dressing up 33
as a writer 33–4, 35–41, 42–3, 57–9, 75–6, 79, 93–4, 110, 113, 175–6, 179, 206, 208–9, 215–23, 235, 268–9, 276, 280–2, 286–8
sense of life as a performance 34–5, 57–8, 76–8, 112, 209, 210
attitude to love and sex 43–9, 144–6, 253–4, 293
early romantic and sexual encounters 43–9, 71–3
dual nature of 51–2, 57–9, 112, 115, 121, 124, 130, 139, 151, 161–2, 165, 171–2, 270
witnesses breakdown of her parents’ marriage 51–4
portraits of 56, 77–8
celebrates male version of herself in her fiction 57–9
maintains her independence and separateness 58–9, 74, 80–1, 284, 285, 287
female affairs 60, 64–5, 65–6, 79–80, 100, 101, 146–9, 158–62, 167, 175, 180–1, 182–6, 190–6, 219, 229, 230–5, 241–5, 291–3
meets and marries Harold Nicolson 60–1, 63, 88–98
on-and-off courtship with Harold Nicolson 61, 63, 64–6, 79, 81, 82, 83, 84, 86–8
as a debutante 62
male suitors and affairs 62–3, 151–7, 161
social outlook and elite status 68–70, 84–5
sexuality of 73–6, 102–3, 122–3, 143–5, 151, 169
health of 78, 175, 195, 239, 263, 268, 269, 275–6, 280, 293–4
reaction to Seery’s death 81
is given a wooden figure of St Barbara by Harold Nicolson 85–6
pregnancy and birth of Lionel Benedict (Ben) 98, 103
effect of the Scott lawsuit on 99–100
wishes to scandalise London 100
makes her will 101–2
buys Long Barn 103–4
takes up gardening 105, 178, 181, 212, 213, 214–15, 216, 218, 228, 235, 238, 246–7, 250–1, 254–5, 263, 266–7, 273–4, 291
comments on baby Ben’s progress 108–9
takes part in wartime charitable entertainments 108
social life 110–11
learns that Harold has contracted a venereal disease 113–14
Behind the Mask Page 37