Wait For Me: Memoirs (original 2010; edition 2010)

I suspect that this is precisely the wrong place to start with the Mitfords. I was thrown willy-nilly into a confusing jumble of nicknames (each person has several), titles and anecdotes. I retire bloody and beaten.

Mitford aficionados, I'm open for advice.
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Having visited Chatsworth many times over the years, this book held a particular interest for me. However, the bits regarding Chatsworth are only a small part of Deborah Devonshire's story. Having been born a Mitford gives her a wealth of interesting stories of childhood and early family memories, and then she moves seamlessly through her life, telling the reader about all the major events and twists and turns that have taken place.

I found this to be a very readable memoir of a fascinating lady. I wasn't so bothered about hearing about all the people she had come into contact with, but I enjoyed her stories of her sisters, her mother and father, her marriage, and her time at Chatsworth, including the establishment of the Orangery shop, farm shop and restaurant.

Recommended for an easy to read, friendly memoir. ( )

Deborah Devonshire was the youngest of the famous Mitford sisters—last in line after Nancy, Pam, Diana, Unity, and Jessica. In 1941 she married Andrew Cavendish, son of the Duke of Devonshire, and eventually became the Duchess of Devonshire. Deborah helped turn Chatsworth into a popular tourist destination and is the author of several books. She also knew, literally, everyone, as seen from the impressive number of names she drops in this memoir.

The memoir is arranged more by subject matter than chronological; a chapter on the Kennedys (who Deborah was related to distantly through marriage; Andrew’s brother was married to Kathleen Kennedy, sister of John F. Kennedy) is followed by a chapter on Deborah’s involvement in public life. It’s a good way to organize the book considering how extensive Deborah’s life has been.

It seems that Deborah Mitford knew everybody, and she has a tendency to namedrop shamelessly in the memoir. She was related by marriage to two Prime Ministers (Churchill and Macmillan, who’s called Uncle Harold throughout) and the Kennedys, and she had friendships with or came into contact with everyone from President and Lady Bird Johnson to Patrick (Paddy) Leigh Fermor. She even had lunch at one point with Elizabeth Bowen, which goes to show you the extent of the name-dropping.

Deborah’s sisters used to frequently joke that she was “illiterate,” but I thought this was an entertaining memoir. Deborah’s voice is fresh (despite her advanced age) and funny in many places. She talks candidly about sensitive subjects, although she glosses over her relationship with Andrew a little bit. I thought the name-dropping was a little bit excessive at times, but over all, I thought that this was an enjoyable memoir. ( )

Thames Television's1980 adaptation of the Nancy Mitford novel Love In A Cold Climate starring Judi Dench and Michael Aldridge is still fresh in my memory. What times, what wonderful times, experienced by those lucky to be ’clued in’ enough to tune into those exceptional dramas produced in the 60s, 70s and the early 80s (Downton is sooo lightweight!).

Who can forget Farve - that legendary eccentric David Freeman-Mitford, or dear Muv - Sydney, daughter of Thomas Bowles, and never their six famous daughters - Nancy, Pam, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Debo, who famously and infamously married fortunately or calamitously - together with their only son Tom who fought and was killed in WWII.

I was lost to the Mitford family from then on, so how overjoyed was I to find Debora Mitford’s latest offering, her memoirs - Wait for Me! - on the shelf of my local library - one, apparently, of several books she has written about Chatsworth. Debo’s life history must be well known to all, but this wonderful telling of her early life bought me out in fits of giggles and bursts of uncontrollable laughter so refreshingly funny is her narration. Always simple and straightforward in her perception of life - nothing political or complex about Debo, just a quiet sensitivity, an acute observation and astute discernment.

She is unassumingly grateful for what her years have given her - a privileged life as the youngest daughter of an aristocratic family; that great and grand family, a mixed bunch and poor …. in relative terms … as they ostensivley were; her husband Andrew Cavendish, eventually 10th Duke of Devonshire; her unexpectedly (good?) fortune in inheriting Chatsworth the grandest country house in Britain; and, more exceptionally, her children Mark, Emma, Peregrine, Victor, Mary, and Sophia; and her grandchildren Stella Tennant and Max Mosley.

Debo takes us from the grandness of unaffordable Batsford inherited by her father from the 1st Lord Redesdale, to Asthall Manor beloved of the older girls and Tom where they hosted many hunting and shooting weekend parties; to Swinbrook House where Farve indulged his passion for building - sadly, a house facing due North, much to the distress of Debo’s older siblings who hated it with a vengeance from the start.

Never rich, and further ruined by poor judgement both in his peremptory moves and weak investments, Farve is not a good role model for Deborah Cavendish, given her ultimate responsibility as sole support of her husband in putting Chatsworth on a firm and financially viable footing in the mid-C20.

The Cavendish estate was burdened by debt from the 6th Duke’s extravagances, the 7th Duke’s business ventures together with the agricultural depression of the mid-1800s. When the 8th Duke died in 1908 Chatsworth struggled on under the 9th and 10th Dukes until the impact of the second world war and its abondnment to Penrhos College girls school. In 1944 William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington was killed in action only four months after his marriage to Kathleen Kennedy and, when his father the 10th Duke died in 1950, the estate was hit by 80% death duties - avoidable had the 10th Duke lived only a few months longer.

Much earlier, but in similar circumstances. the 5th Duke’s London residence, the famed Devonshire House, scene of his duchess Georgiana Spencer’s spectacular balls and political salons in the mid-C18, had long gone together with much of the Devonshire’s splendid library and acres of land to finance similar death duties owed by the 9th Duke. Following the sale finalised in 1920, Devonshire House was demolished and, much to the horror of contemporaries, became the site of a hotel and block of flats.

In the 1950s Debo and Andrew inherited a wonderful building in Chatsworth, and a committed staff: but also a huge debt, paid only by the transfer of Hardwick Hall to the National Trust, the sale of further swathes of Devonshire land, many long-held Devonshire works of art and more rare books. Debo and Andrew’s debt to the Government - £179 million in today’s figures - was not to be resolved until agreement was reached much later with the Inland Revenue.

In 1959 Deborah, Andrew and their growing family moved back into Chatsworth from Edensor House on the estate. The challenges were breathtaking but they set to work together, throwing themselves into every possible aspect of commercial activity. The restoration of the house, the creation or the garden, setting up of The Chatsworth Farm, Farm Shop -employing over 100 people - and Farm Shop Restaurant - against all odds - together with the Devonshire Arms Hotel, Devonshire Fell Hotel and Bistro, and the Cavendish Hotel together with a line of Chatsworth branded foods and Chatsworth Carpenters. These were all innovations largely due to the imagination and hard work of the now Dowager Duchess of Devonshire - Deborah Mitford.

Whilst Debo gives due weight to Andrew’s role in the mission, particularly as is universally acknowledged to the free-of-charge access to Chatsworth Park, it is largely due to the influence of Deborah Mitford, youngest daughter of Farve, that the estate finds itself more than able to support the £4 million that it costs Chatsworth to run today. In a little over half a century she has been so much more than the loving support of the Duke in bringing Chatsworth back from the brink after nearly two hundred years of impecuniousness. Sadly Deborah lost the support of Andrew on his death in 2004, earlier by far thah expected. She now lives again in Edensor House.

Finally and to conclude, how interesting it is to note that Deborah, the wife of the 11th Duke of Devonshire, so remarkable and considerable a woman as was she become to the survival of the Cavendish estate and its continuance, that it was due to such an another extraordinary woman that the Cavendish estate was founded. It was due to the stamina, sheer determination, and foresight of Bess of Hardwick - the second richest, the second most powerful, and the second most influential woman in Elizabethan England - that the Cavendish dynasty was first established. A fine inheritance indeed Debo and an excellent legacy to conclude your influential and not insubstantial contribution to our British heritage in Chatsworth.

Well done Debo and well done in writing this self-effacing but so human a memoir in which we can all share. Once upon a time we all had the chutzpah to do what you did - how lovely it is that in your 90th year you can still remember yours with such clarity- puts us all such younger ‘bods’ to shame! ( )

I am something of a "newbie" to the Mitfords. Being a student of the Kennedys, I had already known that JFK's sister, Kick, had married the heir to the Duke of Devonshire, but was widowed shortly after her marriage. The next in line was Debo's husband, Andrew. Out of sheer curiosity, I picked this book up and was instantly hooked. Deborah Mitford has written one of the most wonderful autobiographies I have ever read. It has its place among my favorite books. Debo tells of times gone by, people gone by, and a way of life gone by. It is simply fascinating.

Read it and you won't be disappointed. ( )