The Real Mrs Miniver
Page 31
Patrick, 1903–65, of 45 Tregunter Road, later of 17 Alexander Place, South Kensington; stockbroker; married twice; Tony’s younger brother
‘Peggy’, Margaret Louise Rosalind Barne, née Percival, died 1994, Tony’s second wife
Peter, born 1927, died in New Guinea, 1963, eldest son of Patrick
Robert Mungo, J’s youngest child, born 6 May 1931 at Wellington Square; career, marriage to Claudia, and their daughter Ysenda
Ysenda, of Edinburgh, ‘Os’, J’s sister-in-law, 1895–1990, see Smythe
Ysenda, of London, the author of this book, born 31 December 1962
Mayer, Louis B. (1885–1957, Hollywood film mogul)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Monson, 9th Baron, died 1940, and his American-born wife, died 1943, described
Moseley, Miss, teacher
Munich crisis of 1938
‘Nannie’, see Good.
Nash, Ogden (1902–71, humorous writer)
New York City, and onwards, passim; Beekman Place; Central Park South; Columbia University and Avery Architectural Library; East 49th Street; East 70th Street; Harlem; Hell’s Kitchen; Public Library; Queen’s; Radio City Music Hall; Social Register; Trinity School; West 62nd Street; West 82nd Street; West 68th Street; West 87th Street; West 101st Street; West 114th Street; World’s Fair
Ney, Richard (born 1917, actor, played Vin Miniver, married Greer Garson, divorced)
Norton, Sir Clifford, KCMG (1891–1990, British Ambassador to Greece), and his wife Noel Evelyn ‘Peter’, died 1972
O’Donnell, Cathy (1923–70, played Judy in Miniver Story)
Office of War Information (US)
Orde, Cuthbert (‘Turps’, 1888–1968, portrait-painter, of Sydney Close, Chelsea)
Pardee, Dr, neurologist, NYC
Paris
Pan’s Garden, Beaulieu, Hampshire, house built by Dame Eva Anstruther, later renamed Kelham
Patterson, Hope (fellow patient)
Pearl Harbor attacked
Philipp, Ernst and Franz (Dolf’s cousins)
Pidgeon, Walter (1897–1984, actor, played Clem Miniver)
Placzek family, formerly of Vienna (pronounced ‘Plah-check’):
Adolf Kurt, ‘Dolf’, J’s second husband, from 114 onwards, passim; born Vienna 9 March 1913; student in Vienna; as a Jew, excluded from his University when Nazis take over; farewell photographs; refugee to London; meets J; with J at Brighton; sails to NYC; reunited with J; librarianship course at Columbia; crosses the campus; granted US citizenship, and joins US Army; in Army uniform; army service, promotion, manoeuvres, commended; demobilized, and works at Avery Library, Columbia University; promoted; his violin restored from Nazi Vienna; marries J; at picnic in Canada; on board ship; at J’s death; remarries; Avery Librarian, and emeritus professor on retirement; edits major architectural reference books, and his Vienna memoirs published; his death, 19 March 2000
‘Bev’, Laura Beverley, born 1913, née Robinson, then Mrs Kalitinski; Mrs A. K. Placzek, Dolf’s widow, living 2001 on West 87th Street, NYC
concentration camp victims among Dolf’s relations
Grand Rabbi of Moravia, Dolf’s paternal grandfather
Susan, Dolf’s sister
Potter, H. C. ‘Hank’ (1904–77, film director; Miniver Story was his last film)
Rachel, née Maxtone Graham, J’s sister-in-law, see Townsend
Rance, Pat (Major Patrick Lowry Cole Holwell Rance, 1918–99, Janet’s husband, J’s son-in-law)
Raphael, Elsie (fellow pupil)
Richardson, Miss, teacher
Rob, Robbie, Robert, see Maxtone Graham
Robeson, Paul (1898–1976, singer and actor)
Robinson, Bev (John Beverley Robinson, 1884–1954, Canadian uncle of Bev Plazcek née Robinson, and his wife Marian)
Roosevelt, Eleanor (1882–1945, the First Lady)
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (1882–1945, President)
Rose, J’s maid
Russell, Sheridan (1900–91, musician and hospital almoner, of Cheyne Walk, Chelsea)
Rye, Sussex, and the cottage on the golf course
Sandars, Clare, played Judy Miniver, and her father Eric
Sandberg, Carl (1878–1967, poet)
Sanders, Peter (Arthur Thomas ‘Peter’), 2nd Lieut, Grenadier Guards, 1900–20, son and heir of the future Baron Bayford
Sandwich, Kent
Schmidt, Thomi, of Binghampton, NY
Schurr, Dr Max, of NYC
Schwarz, Gerhard, radiologist, NYC
Scots Guards, Tony’s, Jamie’s and Robert’s regiment
Scratch Society, of London, for young writers
Severn, Christopher, played Toby Miniver
Shepard, Ernest H., OBE (1879–1976, artist); his illustrations
Sherriff, R. C. (1896–1975, a screen writer of Mrs Miniver)
Smith, Revd Sydney (1771–1845), quoted
Smythe family (pronounced ‘Smith’) of 38 Heriot Row, Edinburgh:
Patrick Cecil, OBE, Writer to the Signet (1888–1969)
Ysenda Mabel, his wife (‘Os’, née Maxtone Graham, J’s sister-in-law, 1895–1990)
Patrick Mungo, their first son, jazz pianist (1923–1983)
(David) Philip, their second son (1925–1959)
Charles Maxtone, their youngest son (1928–95)
Spencer, Charles Nicholas, and his wife ‘Oscar’ (artists, of Cheyne Walk, Chelsea)
Stevenson, Adlai (1900–65, presidential candidate)
Stirling-Home-Drummond-Moray family of Abercairny, Perthshire
Stowe School, Buckingham, Robert’s school
Struther, Jan (Joyce Anstruther, Joyce Maxtone Graham, Jan Struther Placzek):
OUTLINE OF EVENTS:
Born 6 June 1901, London
Parents, see Harry Anstruther and Dame Eva Anstruther; they separated
Photographed at age; with her mother; at age
Education
Writer, journalist and poet with pseudonym Jan Struther from age
Learns shorthand and typing; first job at Scotland Yard
The modern maiden
Her first love, Peter Sanders; his suicide
To Egypt with her father
Meets Tony and they fall in love; they marry
Balkan journey
Births of elder son Jamie; of only daughter Janet; and of younger son Robert
Photographed with the three children; with Jamie
Life at Wellington Square
Wrote hymns
Wrote in association with Ernest Shepard
Holidays in Scotland; shooting with Tony; at Crieff Games
They take a cottage on Rye golf course
Begins to be bored by Tony; and Tony’s changed attitude to her
Start of mutual infidelity
Economising; they move to an unsatisfactory smaller house; and soon move again
First signs of depression
Peter Fleming suggests writing articles for The Times Court page
First Mrs Miniver article in The Times
Try Anything Twice published
Writes 60 fourth leaders for The Times
Photographed with the family in 1939
Outbreak of war
Mrs Miniver articles collected and published as a book
Meets Dolf, they become lovers; photographed at Brighton
Dolf sails for NYC
After the fall of France, Tony urges her to take Janet and Robert to USA; and she is urged to go there by Sir Frederick Whyte to aid war effort
Sails to NYC, and gives up name Joyce in favour of Jan
Reunited with Dolf
Joins Information, Please!
First lecture tour; longest tour; a tour described; last wartime tour
MGM film of Mrs Miniver mooted; film rights sold
Holidays with children; with Dolf
Broadcasts
Dentistry
Première of film
Moves to Central Park South
To Los Angeles for the summer; photographed with Dolf
Exhaustion and depression, ‘the Jungles’
Gastritis
Honorary degree of D. Litt at the University of Pennsylvania
VE day; leaves NYC; the Halifax riots
Sails for England and is reunited with Tony
Irritated with Tony and vice versa
To Appin for a stressful holiday with the family
Photographed with Robert’s cairn terrier
They move back into Wellington Square, and give a dance for Janet
Tells Janet of love for Dolf
BBC radio and TV broadcasts
Marriage floundering; Tony and J agree to a divorce
Last week at Wellington Square; buys house in Alexander Place
Sails to NYC and lives in a slum area
To UK for the divorce hearing in Edinburgh
Returns to NYC
Consults various doctors, then Dr Kubie
To England for Christmas
Accepts Dolf’s marriage proposal; they marry
Visit to UK and Paris with Dolf
Back to NYC; worst depression
Unable to write acceptable poetry or to finish autobiography
Five months at psychiatric sanatorium
Photographed at a picnic with Dolf in Canada
Broadcasting again
The Miniver Story made by MGM, who settle her claim for damages
To England with Dolf
Agricultural tour of US with Jamie
Depression again
Cancer diagnosed; mastectomy
Her self-assessment; work-shy
Photographed in her NYC garden
Last visit to UK, with Dolf
Decline in her writing, but still enslaved by Mrs Miniver
Medical check-up; to Cape Cod; sick and incoherent
Returns to NYC; brain tumour diagnosed
Her death, 20 July 1953 at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital; funeral at 5th Avenue Presbyterian Church, NYC; her ashes interred at Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire
BOOKS by Jan Struther, in chronological order:
Betsinda Dances and Other Poems, OUP
Sycamore Square and Other Verses, illustrated by Ernest Shepard, London, 1932
The Modern Struwwelpeter, illustrated by Ernest Shepard, London, 1936
When Grandmama was Small, London, 1937, verses written by J adapted from the Swedish of Ingrid Smith; pictures by Mela Broman
Try Anything Twice: Essays and Sketches, London, 1938; articles quoted
Mrs Miniver, London, 1939; New York, 1940; many later editions; translations and editions in many countries. Columns for the Court page of The Times suggested to J by Peter Fleming; J’s invention of the name ‘Miniver’; first of J’s anonymous articles published in 1937; some articles quoted; change of style to letters from ‘Caroline’; articles collected and published in UK as a book by ‘Jan Struther’; UK reviews; UK sales; published in USA, and became Book of the Month; US reviews; US best seller
The Glass-Blower and Other Poems, London, 1940; New York, 1941
Women of Britain: Letters from England, edited and with an introduction by J, New York, 1941
A Pocketful of Pebbles, with decorations by Aldren Watson, New York, 1946 (a collection of poems, articles and speeches)
HYMNS published in Songs of Praise (enlarged edition, OUP, 1931, often reprinted). First lines: Number 63, High o’er the lonely hills; Round the earth a message runs; Sing, all ye Christian people!, When Stephen, full of power and grace; When Mary brought her treasure; Unto Mary, demon-haunted; O saint of summer, what can we bring for you?, God, whose eternal mind; Daisies are our silver; When a knight won his spurs, in the stories of old; Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy; We thank you, Lord of Heaven
POEMS, individually quoted or mentioned:
‘The Accompaniment’; ‘Advice to a Future Granddaughter’; ‘All Clear’; ‘The American Way of Life’; ‘At a Dull Party’; ‘At Sea’; ‘Audit’; ‘Betsinda Dances’; ‘The Blue Peter’; ‘Body, Beware’; Cigarette advertisements; ‘Cobwebs’; ‘The Cul-de-Sac’; ‘Dedication: to A.M.G.’; ‘Dedication: to an Unknown Reader’, xiii; ‘Dialling Tones’; ‘Displaced Persons’; ‘Evening’; ‘Fidelity’; ‘Going Home’; ‘Green Warfare’; ‘High Tide’; ‘Immortality’; ‘Intimations of Immortality in Early Middle Age’; ‘Kalbshaxen (Veal Shanks)’; ‘A Londoner in New England, 1941,’; ‘Only Man Can Make an Ode’; ‘Prayer’; ‘Pome’; ‘Small Countries’; ‘Stevenson’s Speech’; ‘Thoughts after Lighting a Fire’; ‘Variation on an Old Proverb’; ‘Wartime Journey’; ‘You Need not Envy’; ‘Westbound Voyage’
UNFINISHED AND UNPUBLISHED BOOKS:
Autobiography intended to cover J’s life up to 20 years of age; commissioned by Harcourt Brace; unfinished, so advance returned to publishers
‘Cactus and Columbine’, mainly about travel in the USA, but reintroducing Mrs Miniver, to be published by Harcourt Brace
THE MGM FILMS OF MRS MINIVER (screen plays not written by J):
Mrs Miniver, MGM, 1942. Film mooted; payment to J for film rights; limited similarity to the book; progress of film production; Dunkirk scenes; scenes showing Greer Garson; publicity; opening and record run at Radio City Music Hall, NYC; US reviews; attendance figures, millionth ticket; grossed nearly $9m; opening in London, and UK reviews; success in other countries; wins Oscars
The Miniver Story, MGM, 1951. Made without J’s approval; opened in London and NYC; a flop, losing MGM $2m; they paid damages to J, who chose never to see the film
SOME TOPICS characteristic of J, or on which she expressed opinions, or experienced by her, including likes and dislikes: on going abroad; on adulthood; likes and dislikes of America; on American politics; on Anglo-American relations; on antiques; her appearance; ‘cute as a bug’; weight; at age; on art galleries; on ballet; beachcomber; bedbugs and cockroaches; bed-time; bicycling; black people; on blood sports; on books; botanist; on Tony’s business friends; camping and picnics; card games; carpentry and handicrafts; boatbuilder; Tony’s attempts; cars: her Baby Morris; journeys; on car bores; Tony’s ‘Bluebird’; her second-hand Plymouth; US gasoline rationing; on childbirth; on childhood; relationships with her children; on visiting churches; and see religion; cinema-goer; her clothes; on colonels; contraception; on country house visits; on cricket matches; dances; dirty jokes; dogs and cats; ‘dogs with friendly faces’; her kittens; on education; learning the facts of life; on fellow-guests; on flowers; food and drink mentioned; on watching games and sports; and see golf; on gardening; on genealogy; on geography; glue-making; dislike of golf and golf bores; on grammar; on grand houses; graphology; guilt at leaving England in 1940; gypsy influence; taught handwriting by her father; on Highland games; on history; holiday sulks and sourness; horses, etc.; dislike of housework and housewifery; on humour; on inanimate objects; Information, Please!; as an interior decorator; on isolationists in America; love of jazz; sympathy with the Jacobites; her jewellery; sympathy with Jews and Jewish minorities; jokes in bad taste; junk shops; loved RLS’s ‘Kidnapped’ of which she edited a version for schools in 1933; described as ‘kittenish’, ‘child-wife’; juvenile knitting; knots and splices; two fingers to ladylikeness; languages: German; Yiddish and Russian; eventual hatred of lecture tours; legal cases: her divorce; against her landlord; against MGM; love of London; her lovers (‘Friends’ with a capital F); on failed marriages; in wartime; attitude to men; money and shortage of it; moving house, ‘favorite indoor sport’; on museums; love of music; relationship with her nannie; changed attitude to the Nazis; liked being a ‘New Girl’; the New Yorker magazine; on ocean liners; on parental visits to schools and university; relationship with her parents; on party-giving and -going; ping-pong; paper-games; poacher; on poetry; her own; politically left-wing; on possessions; practical jokes; on psalmodic rhythm; Punch magazine; on
racial intolerance; radios and radio-gramophones; attitude to religion; love of the Royal Tournament; use of rude words; fascination with Rural Free Delivery and US mail boxes; love of Scotland; her self-assessment; sexuality; dislike of sightseeing; and see churches; shooting with shotgun and rifle; and see blood sports; her sleeping bag; sleeplessness and sleeping pills; smoking; wrote cigarette advertisements; snake, alligator, etc. (Robert’s pets in NYC); on social class consciousness and distinctions; dislike of solitude; on sunglasses; dislike of tea; tennis in Egypt; on the theatre; The Times, London; a tomboy; her toys; liked most train journeys, train watching, and toy trains; support of war charities, etc.; ‘Winstonian’ energies; attitude to women; ‘in love with the world’; writer’s block described
Sudeley, Charles, 4th Baron 1840–1922, J’s maternal grandfather and his wife Ada, née Tollemache, 1848–1928
Sudeley, Merlin, 7th Baron, born 1939, the author’s cousin
Talbot family of Chelsea:
Anne Meriel (interior decorator, of Tite Street, born 1899, died unmarried 1979)
Evan Arthur Christopher (her younger brother, 1903–75, of Walpole Street, stockbroker)
Cynthia, his wife (Felicité Annette Cynthia, née Long, died 1985)
Temple, Shirley (Black) (born 1928, child actress and later diplomat)
Thomson, Janet (fellow pupil)
Toddington, Gloucestershire, J’s grandparents’ house
Tony, see Anthony J. O. Maxtone Graham
Townsend family, of 1 Beekman Place, New York City:
Rachel (née Maxtone Graham, J’s sister-in-law, 1897–1977)
Greenough (her husband, executive with United States Lines Inc., 1895–1962)
Anthony Maxtone Greenough (their elder son, born 1928)
David Graeme (their younger son, born 1930)
Travers, Henry (1874–1965, actor, played the station-master)
Vienna; and see Placzek family
von Ustinov, Iona ‘Klop’ (journalist, and Nadya his artist wife, of Redcliffe Gardens, parents of Peter)
Ward, Cleveland, J’s cleaner, NYC
Ward, Sir Edward, 1st Bart, KCB, KCVO (1853–1928, of Wilbraham Place, Sloane Street)
Warrack, Guy (1900–86, of Wellington Square, Chelsea, composer and conductor), and his first wife Jacynth, née Ellerton, later Mrs Donaldson-Hudson and Lady Lawrence, died 1987
Watt, A. P. Ltd, literary agents