An illustrated talk by William Cross, FSA Scot, on Tom Mitford, handsome brother of the outrageous Mitford sisters of Society trouble an strife.

Tom is usually swept aside by the headlines and indulgences of his six notorious siblings and their odd ball parents. Yet Tom’s story is fascinating and compelling too and is the subject of “ Tom Mitford : A Fearful Old Twister” a full length biography by William Cross published on 30 March 2025, the 80th anniversary of Tom’s death in World War 2.

Tom was the only offspring not to give his parents, David and Sydney Freeman-Mitford ( affectionately called MUV AND FARVE) regular anxieties and nightmares.

First born, Nancy, agitated them by writing books eroding the family’s privacy , and subjecting herself to Peter Rodd, a never do well egotist for a husband after being in love and attempting suicide over a homosexual fiancé, Hamish Erskine, (who had had an affair with Tom, at public school).

The second Mitford girl, Pamela, had one marriage halted on health grounds and the other ended a mismatch to a bisexual, Derek Jackson. Poor Pam, a coy country girl, only trusted with the family’s animal livestock, finally settled down with the woman she loved.

Next came Diana, who alarmed Muv and Farve when she sunk her first marriage to Irish brewery heir Bryan Guinness and by destroying Cimmie Curzon in committing adultery and later marrying her husband, the fascist ogre, Sir Oswald Mosley.

Fourth was Unity who proclaimed her adoration for Adolf Hitler and made a mess of shooting herself in the head ending her days as a sad, disabled, child like figure.

Fifth was Jessica, who eloped with her cousin Esmond Romilly, infuriating her unforgiving father. Defiant, telling a pack of lies and chase me-chase- me games, in a cruel stand off after getting pregnant, she later became a Communist and an American citizen and trouble making author.

Last girl was Deborah who became the Duchess of Devonshire and whilst she shone more brightly than every one of her Duchess predecessors, her marriage to an alcoholic was turbulent, but she was probably the best of the bunch.

Of this whole tribe Tom was deemed the very perfect son and brother. But was he?

Eton-educated Tom had a great love of Germany and its heritage. A lawyer, Judge, soldier and lover of both sexes, Tom reached out to all his sisters and gave them support and understanding no matter how outrageous they behaved.

Tom’s early death in war time Burma in 1945 affected the sisters in different ways and left their parents devastated, ripping apart happy ever afters. Farve ended his days living with a fancy woman whilst Muv exiled herself to Inch Kenneth, a remote Scottish island. Two of the sisters, Jessica and Nancy produced memoirs that hit hard at their parents and their upbringing, these being published whilst Muv was still alive.

William Cross’s study of Tom Mitford “ A Fearful Old Twister” is a definite work on a life from cradle to grave and by default covers the narrative and constant tangles in the lives of his six sisters and dysfunctional parents.