The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother, and Me
Page 42
Connolly, Matthew 297, 298
Constance, Aunt 19
Constantinople 31–2
Cooper, Diana 176, 244, 321
Cooper, Duff 244, 292
Corot, Jean-Baptiste-Camille 96
Country Life 162
Coward, Noël (1899–1973)
Private Lives 109
loves Les Girls 114
charms Edward VII with some of his songs 128
as godfather to David Niven’s son 246
enjoys his visit to Faringdon 255
Cowper, William 105
Crack, Miss 350
Crack, William (chauffeur) 41–3, 122, 123, 194, 218, 286
Cranborne Chase 300–301, 304
Craven, Deirdre
friendship with Jennifer 297–8
has a fling with Alan Ross 297
marries Cyril Connolly 297, 358
Craven, Simon 358–9, 360
Craxton, John 205
Crisp, Quentin 68, 229
Crowden, Andrew 322, 348, 349
Crowley, Aleister 81
Cruddas, Hugh (1906–1993) 278
considers marriage to Juliet Heygate 265
description of 265
joins Gerald and Robert at Faringdon 265–7
relationship with Robert 265–7, 292–3, 312, 314
as butt of jokes 266–7
Waugh’s comment on 288
‘wifely’ role at Faringdon 294–5
relationship with Victoria 300
disliked by Rosa Proll 312
death of 320
Cunard family 83
Cunard, Lady Emerald (Maud Burke) (1872–1948)
as well-known society hostess 125, 126
background and description 126–7
Gerald’s comment on 126
Harold Nicolson’s comment on 127
calls Edward VIII ‘Majesty Divine’ 128
as visitor to Faringdon 155
lives at the Dorchester during the war 223–4
as character in Gerald’s play The Furies 234
death of 283
Cunard, Nancy 127, 181
Cust, Harry 380
Daily Express 88, 111, 123, 134, 290, 339
Daily Mail 118, 123, 213
Daily Mirror 118, 129
Daintrey, Adrian 84, 296
Dalí, Gala 136–9, 283
Dalí, Salvador (1904–1989) 2, 283
description of 136
onanistic fantasies 136
stays at Faringdon 136–8
gives Robert a drawing of a horse and rider 137–8
Penelope Betjeman’s comment on 137
Gerald’s poem on 138–9
attends International Surrealist Exhibition in
London 140–41
is given a moth-eaten polar bear by Edward James 140
arranges grand piano with chocolate eclairs in the
pool at Faringdon 141
diving-suit fiasco 141, 142
reaction to Lorca’s death 142
collaborates with Schiaparelli 143–4
meets many influential people 143
poems dedicated to by Gerald 205
De la Mare, Walter 220
Debussy, Claude 44
Degas, Edgar 96
Diaghilev, Sergei (1872–1929) 34, 36, 67
based in Rome 35
commissions Lambert and Gerald to compose
music for him 38–9, 147
visits Winnie in Venice 44
description of 45
Etonne moi! comment 74
as visitor to Faringdon 208
Dickinson, Peter 322, 394
Lord Berners: Composer, Writer, Painter 14
‘Dig for Victory’ campaign 216
Dimbleby, Nicholas 385
Dodd, Dorothy 50
Dr Strangelove (film, 1964) 356
Driberg, Tom 81, 121, 144, 340
Duff, Charley 292, 382
Duff, E. L. 37
Duff, Lady Juliet 12
Duff, Sir Michael (1907–1980) 70, 89
description of 11–12
as cross-dresser 12
comment on Robert at Faringdon 76–7
stays at Madresfield 102
friendship with Beaton 106
as ‘Miss MacRogers’ in The Girls of Radclyff Hall 113
as King Boris in Cecil Beaton’s book 186–7
as godparent to baby Victoria 253
war service 254
as visitor to Faringdon 291
marries Caroline Paget and adopts a baby boy 292
The Power of a Parasol 77
Ealing Studios 256, 268
Eden, Anthony 292, 299
Eden, Clarissa Churchill, Lady Avon (b. 1920) 262
description of 206
friendship with Gerald 206–7, 209, 218–19
at the heart of Oxford society 207
told that Robert is Gerald’s ‘agent’ 207–8
works for the Foreign Office 209, 218, 244
portrait by Gregorio Prieto 213
as regular visitor to Faringdon 216, 217, 218, 244, 283, 293
convalesces at Faringdon after serious illness 217–18
moves to the Dorchester 224
attends baby Victoria’s christening 253
comment on Hugh Cruddas 266
visits Gerald for the last time 285
marries Anthony Eden 292, 325
comment on Edward Petty-Fitzmaurice 379
Edward VII 139–40
Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor) 110–11, 118, 128, 144, 231
Eisenhower, Dwight D. 223
Eliot, T. S. 121, 220
Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Mother) 276
Ellis, Havelock 96
Ernst, Max 142
Erskine, Hamish St Clair 179–80, 255, 275
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 34
Eton College 24, 25, 59
Evening Standard 90, 308
Eversly, Alfred, The Furies 234
Fairbairn, John 321
Faringdon, Charles Henderson, 3rd Baron 333
Faringdon Cinema 105
Faringdon Folly 5, 132–6, 215, 392–6
Faringdon, Gavin Henderson, 2nd Baron 121, 291, 317
Faringdon House (Oxfordshire)
dyed doves at 1, 13, 85–7, 89, 94, 140, 347, 357, 370, 386
first view of 1
descriptions of 2–9, 19–20, 81–2, 84–7, 352–6
gardens, pool and fountain 4–5, 28, 85, 87, 216, 252, 267, 315, 317, 327, 329, 333, 357, 360, 372, 374
rented by Julia Tyrwhitt and her new husband 29
bought by Gerald for his mother Julia 41
history of 82–4, 353
famous meals at 87–9, 216–17, 228
visitors and entertainments 99, 104–5, 114, 134, 137, 146, 149–50, 152–4, 207–9, 224, 269, 317–18, 319, 327–33, 335, 337–8, 379
given to Robert by Gerald 135
the summer of 1939 186–8
as part of the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign 215–17
requisitioned by the Army 215, 227–9
as war-time retreat for friends 216–17, 225–6
windows blown out by American GIs stationed in the ground 229
post-war cut-backs 268
changes made by Robert after Gerald’s death 310–17, 329
dog graves at 315–16
Gerald’s ashes buried at 315
Robert’s ashes scattered at 359–60
burglaries at 362–3, 384–5
changes made to by Sofka and Vassilis 372–4
let to a variety of tenants 386–8
blue plaque unveiled on the Folly 392–6
Faringdon (town) 83–4, 364
Bell Hotel 314, 391–2, 397–9
Fascism 118, 121–5, 142
Fauré, Gabriel 44
Fellowes, Daisy 144, 146, 234–5, 244, 275
Fellowes, Reginald 144
Fermor, Patrick Leigh 231–2
&n
bsp; Fielding, Daphne
as Cavendish afficionado 66
comments on Doris Castlerosse 108, 110
comment on the summer of 1939 186
as regular visitor to Faringdon 216, 321
comment on Gerald’s health 284
Firbank, Ronald 46–7, 91
First World War 35, 41, 56–7, 63, 133, 188, 189, 192–3
Fitzgerald, Ella 202
Fitzgerald, F. Scott 151
Fleming, Ann Charteris 323
Fleming, Ian 323
Fonteyn, Margot 147, 150, 268, 379
For Your Convenience: A Learned Dialogue Instructive to All Londoners and London Visitors (Thomas Burke) 68
Forbes, Eda 392–3
Foreign Office 28
Forster, E. M. 92
Fortescue, Julia 157
Fortuny y Madrazo, Mariano 34
Fox, Jack
relationship with Robert 154, 314, 347
becomes gamekeeper, builder and stonemason at Faringdon 237
description of 237
comment on Jennifer’s appearance 243
carries Gerald’s coffin 286
lives in the lodge at Faringdon 291, 359
buries Gerald’s ashes 315
asked to kill the peacock 317
lays out Robert’s body 347
given shooting rights for life 367
hunts for Gerald’s ashes 389–90
Free French 220
Freud, Kitty 277
Freud, Lucian 205, 232, 272, 277, 280
Freud, Sigmund 193
Fry, Alathea Gardner
description of 157, 160–61, 175
family background 157–8
marriage to Geoffrey 157, 159–60, 170
as a reclusive semi-invalid 159–62
relationship with Jennifer 161–2, 164, 230–31, 244–5, 249, 254–5
travels to spas and hotels 164
sends money to her sister Evelyn 170
finds her husband in bed with a boy 171
love-life 175
converts to Catholicism 200
sends provisions from Oare to Jennifer in Oxford 201
at Jennifer’s wedding to Robert 236
offers Oare to Victoria and Peter 306
Fry, Camilla 318, 320
Fry, Geoffrey
education 158
family background 158
obsession with Rupert Brooke 158–9, 172
description of 159, 162, 172, 174
marriage to Alathea 159–60
as private secretary to Bonar Law and Stanley
Baldwin 159, 166, 171
taunts and rejects his daughter Jennifer 159, 164–5, 171, 172, 173
commissions portrait of Alathea from Sickert 161
buys Oare House 162, 164
found in bed with a boy by his wife 171
created 1st Baronet Fry of Oare 172
has a nervous breakdown 200
at Jennifer’s wedding to Robert 236
relationship with his only grandchild, Victoria 263, 278–9
death of 306
Fry, Jennifer see Heber-Percy, Jennifer
Fry, Jeremy 318, 348
Garbo, Greta 325
Gardner, Herbert, Lord Burghclere 157, 168
Gardner, Juliet 170
Gardner, Lord 157
Gardner, Winifred Herbert, Lady Burghclere 157–8, 168–9
Garth (estate foreman at Faringdon)
Robert’s ‘outdoor’ boyfriend 292–3, 294, 318
description of 293–4
family background 293
marries a local woman 293–4
relationship with Victoria 300
his widow Betty and his daughter Susan attend
Robert’s funeral 348
his widow Betty given lifelong tenancy 364
Gaury, Gerald de 198, 283
comment on Ibn Sa’ud 188–9
description of 188
as explorer, orientalist and diplomat 188
involved in intelligence work 188, 189, 196
takes Robert to the Arabian peninsula 188, 189, 195–200
takes numerous photos of Robert 196
as close friend of Robert in later life 200
Georgian Group 82
Gide, André 67, 271–2
Goncharova, Natalia 36
Gordon, General Charles 15
Gorky, Maxim 144
Gottfried, Dr 270
Gould, John 85
Birds of Great Britain 18
Grainger (Pekingese) 104
Gramophone magazine 39–40
Grand National 97, 98
Grant, Duncan 136
Gravestock, Mel 391, 397
Green, Henry see Yorke, Henry
Green, Martin, Children of the Sun 63
Greene, Graham 183, 190
Guinness, Bryan, Lord Moyne 116–17
Guinness, Diana see Mosley, Diana Mitford
The Halfway House (film, 1944) 256
Hall, Radclyffe, The Well of Loneliness 112
Hansford, Pauline 201
Harpers & Queen 302, 368–9
Harris, Alexandra 92
Harris, Jack (bandleader) 177
Harrod, Dominick 243, 262
Harrod, Henry 243, 262
Harrod, Roy 203–4, 206, 221, 269
Harrod, Wilhelmine ‘Billa’ Cresswell (1911–2005)
description of 203
marriage to Roy Harrod 203–4
as close friend of Gerald 204, 284
as inspiration for Fanny in The Pursuit of Love 204
comment on Clarissa Churchill 206–7
comment on Robert’s discharge from the Army 214
delighted at ménage à trois at Faringdon 243
comment on Gerald’s being nice to babies 251
comments on ‘poor Jennifer’ 262–4
moves to Oare House 262–3
comments on Michael Luke 264, 265, 273
comment on Gerald’s ballet Les Sirènes 269
as regular visitor to Faringdon 269, 291
asked about Victoria’s possible father 376
furious at being asked about Victoria’s biological
father 376
Havelock, General 5
Heber, Reginald, Bishop of Calcutta 55–6, 57, 239, 374
Heber, Richard (d. 1835) 57
Heber-Percy, Alan (1907–1934)
good-looking and disreputable 51, 62, 66–7
joins the Scots Greys 62
death of 98
Heber-Percy, Alan (1935–1998)
helps Rosa with accommodation and work 341, 367
description of 344, 346
disinherited by Robert 344, 346, 357, 366
as shareholder and manager of Faringdon Farm 344, 357–8
helps to scatter Robert’s ashes 359
bought out of the Berners Estates Company 366–7
makes sure that Jack Fox retains shooting rights for
life 367–8
death of 388
ashes scattered at Faringdon 390
Heber-Percy, Algernon (1869–1941)
character and description of 51, 52
as semi-invalid 51
as harsh parent 54–5
dislike of alcohol 56
appalled at Robert’s lifestyle 70
death of 218
Heber-Percy, Algernon ‘Algy’ (1904–1961) 50–51, 62, 218
Heber-Percy, Algernon (b. 1944) 53, 57, 382–3
Heber-Percy, Cyril (b. 1905)
fanatical animal lover 51
comment on his parents 52
comment on food at breakfast 56
comment on Robert’s liking for reading and
painting 57
comment on Robert’s madcap schemes 61
becomes master and huntsman of a pack of
hounds 62
given Alsatians by his brother Alan 62
comment on reason why Robert resigned his
co
mmission 64–5
visits Robert in his barracks 214
at Robert’s funeral 347
Us Four (memoir) 52
Heber-Percy, Dorothy Lygon see Lygon, Dorothy ‘Coote’
Heber-Percy, Gladys May Hulton-Harrop (d. 1956)
description of 50, 51, 52, 300
family background 51–2
dressed Robert as a girl 53
as harsh parent 53, 54–5
opens Hodnet Hall as convalescent hospital 56
relationship with Robert 57–8
writes grovelling letter to Stowe 59
concerned at Robert’s Mad Boy lifestyle 65, 70
forbids Alan to return to Hodnet after married
woman scandal 98
as visitor to Faringdon 156
at the marriage of Robert and Jennifer 236
relationship with her granddaughter Victoria 300
Sofka stays in Gladys’s old sitting room and study at Hodnet 382, 383
Heber-Percy, (Ann) Jennifer (Evelyn) Fry (1916–2003)
dislikes Faringdon 2, 8
leaves white wicker handbag behind when leaving
Faringdon 3
portrait of 3
1943 photograph of 6, 7
character and descriptions of 7–8, 10, 157, 164–5, 171, 176, 243
as visitor to Faringdon 156, 185, 336, 337–8
family background 157–61
relationship with her father 159, 164–5, 171, 172, 173, 181, 241–2
childhood 161–7
relationship with her mother 161–2, 164, 171, 175, 230–31, 244–5, 249–50, 254–5
short autobiographical story by 161, 171
education 167–8, 172–3
becomes aware of parents’ relationship 171–2
social and sexual encounters 173–6, 178–85, 233–4, 264–5, 272–3, 275–7, 278–9, 296–7, 338
has a London season 176–7
photo album 183–5
effect of the war on 200–202
wartime employment 201
love of music and literature 202
in Oxford during the war 202–3, 207, 231
meets friends in Heywood Hill bookshop 226
lives life to the full in wartime London 231–5, 255
marries Robert 235–8
pregnancy, birth and christening of Victoria 238, 240, 243, 245–6, 248–50, 252–4
role at Faringdon after her marriage 240–46, 254
rejected by Robert 241
refuses to meet Diana Mosely at Faringdon 257
separates from Robert and moves back to Oare 260–65
undergoes psychoanalysis 261–2
reaction to death of her friend Primula Niven 274
divorced from Robert 275
accidentally leaves Victoria in Harrods 277–8
marries Alan Ross 279–82
birth of her son Jonathan 295
failure of her marriage to Alan 295–9
helped Alan in his literary endeavours 295
friendship with Deirdre Craven Connolly 297–8
health of 297
dislikes getting older 336–7
looks after Pixie 336–7
hosts party at Clayton for Sofka 358–9