Side by Side … by Nicolson and Rose. Kenneth Rose’s journals are, I hope, a bright new star in the literary firmament. Let’s see how they match up to Harold Nicolson’s diaries.
5th April, 1955.
I listen to the 6 pm news which tells me that at 4.30 Winston handed in his resignation to the Queen, who was graciously pleased to accept it. I suppose the Queen will send for Anthony tomorrow.
Ben is engaged on a book on a Flemish 17th century artist whose name is unknown to me. That is why he is off on this trip. But how odd that he should never have mentioned it to V or me! It is actually rude to be so reserved and uncommunicative and I feel annoyed with him. It is as if, taking no interest at all in our doings, he is determined to exclude us from taking any interest in his.
( Ben’s artist is Hendricks Terbrugghen and he was going to Holland where he proposed to Luisa Vertova. No wonder he was a bit cagey.)
5th April, 1955.
The day of Churchill’s resignation. Great political excitement, though still no newspapers owing to strike. Quick lunch at House of Commons, then into Chamber. It is extraordinarily crowded in hope that Winston will make a last appearance before resignation.
But the visitors are disappointed. Harry Crookshank answers the questions put down for Winston. Emery’s Hughes asks: ‘Has the Government yet decided whether it will bury Caesar in the House of Lords, or allow him to come back to this House to worry Anthony?’
Leave office about 5 pm. Motor past Palace, where a great crowd. A helicopter skims along Mall over trees and drops down into garden of Palace. Then it takes off again – presumably the Duke of Edinburgh returning from an engagement. About 5.15 Winston’s car, with Lord Warden’s flag, slowly emerges from Palace. Great cheer from crowd. As his car slowly passes I see he is wearing a tall hat and in tears. He has just resigned.
Call on P de Z at Foreign Office about 9.45 pm. He tells me he is to be one of Eden’s secretaries at No 10 – a great chance of influencing events. With Marie-Lou and her nice brother, David, we go on to balcony of Foreign Office. Rather a small crowd singing and shouting for Winston. He does not appear while I am there, but butler washing up on first floor gets a tremendous cheer when he comes to window.
To bed after eventful day at 1 am.
The comparison is not fair. In 1955, Nicolson aged 68 was in the twilight of his career; Rose, a stripling of 30, was just getting into his element. Nevertheless Rose’s eye for detail promises much enjoyment in the years ahead. He seems to be parodying Pepys; it detracts from his observations and I hope he drops this irritating stylistic tic. It would be interesting to juxtapose Chips Channon’s account of the day but his last diary entry was in November 1953. Likewise Sir Alan, ‘Tommy’, Lascelles had stopped keeping a diary but he does have a good Winston story.
In 1952 Winston gave a luncheon party at No 10 for Ismay and Bridges. Ismay was about to go to Paris as Secretary-General of NATO, and, in an admirable speech, said how much he regretted leaving his home in Gloucestershire, and his beloved herd of Jersey cows. Winston ejaculated loudly from his chair, ‘Quite easy. Milk the cows in the morning, fly to Paris and milk the Americans in the afternoon.’ I don’t think there were any Americans in the room.