Charlotte Mosley - The Mitfords - Letters between Six Sisters

All the nannies are so wonderful together and help each other to tea like mad. It’s so good for Em, 3 my nanny says, to have other children, can you imagine at her age!! They are awfully good and it really is utter heaven having them, I shall never have more glorious guests.

If only you were here it would be perfect.

Best love to Sir O.

All love, Debo

Lady Redesdale’s permit to visit Diana in Holloway.

Dearest Hen

It is so wonderful about you getting married, do write and tell if Mr Treuhaft 1 is a Hon, I’m sure he must be a tremendous one, I do die to see him or even a photograph, do try & send something, we all so die to see. Have you fully instructed him about Honnish embraces, Andrew has become quite good and will show everyone all the time.

Oh dear I do long to see you measuring trees, do write & tell. And as for investigating I wish you’d come and investigate about the huge rent here. 2

We’ve moved in here for the war, at least I say we but it’s me & Em really as Andrew hasn’t been able to get away to see it although we’ve been in for 4 weeks. I hope he’ll get a short weekend soon but they work so hard I doubt even that. He is on the Yorkshire moors now, bitter cold poor soul. Otherwise everything goes on as usual, London is rather drear though, no one much there and everything v. expensive. We have tremendous pony cart life here as there is no petrol.

Kick Kennedy is in London, it is lovely to have her back, did you like her, I do awfully.

I long to see Constancia, she must be so fascinating, that photograph of you & her was heaven. Do send some more. The difficulty here is one can’t get films, perhaps it’s difficult with you too?

Well dear if anything of note or interest occurs I’ll write again. Be an old Hen & write to yr Hen.

Will you stay in San Francisco now or will you go lumbering off to Seattle? Do you remember how poor Bird always longed to go there.

Farve’s operation was a miracle almost, it was too dreadful to see him quite blind.

Well dear cheery cheer, Henderson

Darling Nancy

Many happy returns darling. The present was mingy beyond belief, I rather wish it had got lost in the post.

Woman is being simply too killing, we are besieged by hordes of pressmen & photographers 1 & every now and then she rushes out and says, ‘I dislike you intensely’ or when photo-ed, ‘You foul man’. She doesn’t in the least realize what a wonder-working woman she is being. We ourselves just stay in the house with the curtains drawn and I would rather be us than them because it is the most frightful weather. I hope you all go to the demonstration in Trafalgar Sq this afternoon, I wish I could go.

It is such paradise just not to be in gaol that it is indescribable. Did you see Bernard Shaw in D. Express . 2

Could you keep the Wieland 3 just till I know where we are going or is it a great trial to you – being so many vols I rather dread it in our luggage.

Desmond tells me that one master at Summer Fields says I ought to be shot. ‘Yes’ said Jonathan, ‘he is an old menace’ .

I do LONG for a chat with you but of course I shall never be able to come to London.

Best love, D

1

Darling,

A girl I know was in Trafalgar Sq that day trying to get to the tube. In order to do so she was obliged to join a queue & shout in unison ‘Put Him Back’ . If you didn’t shout you were flung out of the queue & no chance of getting to the Underground! Then she had to stop twice & sign things – also in order to keep her place. After which she was very late for tea. You must say.

Just had a wonderful weekend at Faringdon. I hear Gerald [Berners] is going to stay with you.

Best love, NR

Darling Honks

I do think it’s so wonderful about Nicky getting the MC, 1 Sir O must be nearly dying of excitement.

I do disgusting work now, do feel sorry for me. It’s in the YMCA canteen and it’s v. embarrassing because they all copy my voice.

No more news of Andrew – I do hope he comes soon.

All love & millions of congratulations on Nicky’s wonderfulness. Debo

Get on

I don’t appreciate the SHORT NOTES I have received from you, my frail fingers are well able to open a VERY LONG letter so kindly write one.

Well Mornington 1 is too comic for words, he is fast going bald but the nurse still tries to make a parting and the result is he looks exactly like his grandpapa Devonshire. I went dry after two days. I meant to feed him but I’m quite pleased now as I shan’t be tied. Muv looked v. disapproving when we decided to give up the unequal struggle. It was too wonderful having her here.

Oh the fury on all sides about the baby’s names. The dowager duch has been heard to say she wouldn’t be surprised if the Duke of Wellington sued us for using his name. But surely if Mrs Cannon could call her son Morny why shouldn’t I. 2 Anyhow they are Andrew’s choice so all the critics can go to hell. I am calling him Morny but I expect Andrew will call him Peregrine. I haven’t heard from him that he’s heard but hope to this week.

William (Billy) Hartington, Deborah’s brother-in-law, and Kathleen (Kick) Kennedy were married on 6 May 1944, despite opposition from both sets of parents.

Isn’t it a do about Billy getting off, I am so pleased & so is Andrew and I can’t get over the wonderful luck of having Kick for a sister-in-law as she is far the nicest girl ever. Poor things they must be thankful to have actually got spliced after all these years. 3

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