My Life

My Life - Oswald Mosleylibel action which she won. Again the British judicial system maintained the finetradition of still offering this facility to inmates of the Government's jails. However,an impression was left on the public mind which was epitomised by the bus conductorwho in halting opposite Holloway used to direct his passengers: 'This way for LadyMosley's suite'.After eighteen months of our respective imprisonments in Brixton and Holloway itwas decided that married couples should be imprisoned together. Diana's brother,Tom Mitford, had lunched just previously in Downing Street, and suggested it.Although he had been a member of our movement, he was clearly regarded as tooefficient an adjutant of his territorial battalion for any action to be taken against him.He was later killed in Burma; a tragic loss, for he was the only son among sixdaughters and had much ability and charm. Mr. Churchill had apparently on severaloccasions intervened on behalf of detainees, and conditions at that time were muchbetter in prisons and concentration camps. A disused wing of Holloway, remote fromthe rest of the prison, was set aside for the married couples.The massive building had certainly a grim aspect, but our life there was much happier.We were allowed to cook our own food: Diana was very competent because in earlierdays she and her youngest sister had had cookery lessons in which I occasionallyjoined. (When the sauces curdled they screamed so much that the teacher remarkedshe was glad that all six sisters were not there.) We had also some small plots in theadjoining yard where I could grow vegetables, and my early agricultural experiencecame in handy. There were, of course, male guards on the gate, but we usually sawwardresses, who in our experience were agreeable to deal with. At this point we werewell treated, and on occasion prison rules were waived. For instance, my son Nicholaswas in training with the Rifle Brigade at Winchester before going to the war and hewas allowed to visit us frequently when on leave. He was permitted to stay talkinglong into the night; being smuggled out through some side gate in oblivion of theletter of the law; all this was in striking contrast to earlier treatment.My visitors in prison, apart from relations, were a diverse company whose solicitude Imuch appreciated. The first was my old I.L.P. comrade and later opponent, JamesMaxton; he came to see me in a gesture of characteristic courage and generosity. BobBoothby came from the Conservative ranks in old friendship and in his usual stalwartmaintenance of his strong and independent character, which faced a political clamourat that time and persisted unruffled during the later adoration of his television days.Walter Monckton came more than once with wise and friendly advice which then andlater was of much value. Mr. Churchill apparently did not approve this activity, for heaccosted Walter one day with the sardonic enquiry, 'Still a prison visitor?' HaroldNicolson came in another courageous act of friendship, but to my subsequent regret Irefused to see him because I was incensed by his broadcast of the night before, whichseemed to me to fall below his usual high standard of intellect and integrity.Diana's companionship was a great happiness to me in the last two years ofimprisonment, just as her courage in the very rough conditions of her previousimprisonment apart from me in the first eighteen months had been a comfort to myanxiety. She showed throughout not only courage but gaiety, which I found in the firstwar is one of the main attributes of our English people in adversity; her humour neverleft her. After telling me one day about the treatment of the women in the early days342 of 424