Lord Bonkers' Diary: Every Tuesday evening at a discreet establishment in Roehampton

I was in The Goat Hotel, Llanfair Caereinion, a few summers ago and overheard an old boy reminiscing to his wife about an Army friend who was given to labelling  notices "Top Secret: Burn Before Reading."

She had probably heard the story before, as I think you've heard this one before, but I thought it was rather good and noted it down...

Wednesday

In the days when those jolly Pankhurst girls were chaining themselves to railings and the first Lady Bonkers was busy rugby-tackling Derby favourites, there were those who warned of the dangers of ”petticoat government”. That always seemed odd to me, particularly as I knew for a fact that the most vociferous among them paid good money to suffer precisely that every Tuesday evening at a discreet establishment in Roehampton. 

No, I am convinced that the extension of the suffrage to the fairer sex has been a success and, in the same spirit, I have welcomed the by-election victories of Sarah Green (one of those amusing young people from Liberator magazine) in Chesham and Amersham and Helen Morgan in North Shropshire. 

I will say in the privacy of my diary, that it was good to see a chap win in Tiverton and Honiton – particularly one with a background in the Services. Richard Foord and I have already had a conversation about the correct use of infantry on polling day, and having him around reminds of dear old Paddy Ashplant. I miss those letters of his, marked ‘Top Secret: Burn Before Reading,’ arriving by every post.

Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South West, 1906-10.

Earlier this week in Lord Bonkers' Diary

• When Penny and Kemi banged Rishi’s head on the floor
• The Revd Hughes has taken refuge in the crypt beneath St Asquith’s

The Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in 1960

In 2014 I travelled on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. After doing so I posted an old video of the lost line from through the streets of Welshpool that once connected the line's Raven Square station with the town's mainline station.

Click on the photo above to go to the BFI site and view film shot in 1960. It shows the whole line, including that abandoned section.

There you will also learn about the man who shot it:

Footage shot by Ion Trant, originally from Dovea Farm, Tipperary, Ireland. He farmed Maesmawr farm, Welshpool (plus the adjoining farm, Cefn Du and a Radnorshire hill farm, Esgairdraenllwyn) with his wife, Janet (nee Lewis). Conscious of a growing gulf between town and country, he welcomed school visits to his farm and created the BBC children’s series "Country Close-Up" (1956-62), featuring his land and children.

Lord Bonkers' Diary: "Top Secret: Burn Before Reading"

The latest issue of Liberator is on its way to subscribers, so it is time to spend some time with Rutland's most celebrated fictional peer.

The description of winter here owes a lot to T.H. White, "Top Secret: Burn Before Reading" came from overhearing an old boy in a pub in Llanfair Caereinion reminiscing about a friend from his Army days who was given to annotating documents in that fashion.

Introduction

Winter has come to Rutland. Polar bear have been shot as far south as Barleythorpe and the drive to the Hall remains blocked by head-high drifts – at least they were head high for the Well-Behaved Orphans who were trying to clear them this morning.

The snow lies on my roof like the icing on one of Cook’s delicious Christmas cakes – I happen to have a slice before me as I write this. Long icicles hang from the eaves. As this is just the worst time of the year for a journey, I pass my days watching the skaters enjoy the frozen expanse of Rutland Water or dozing by the Library fire.

This morning the postman struggled to my front door with a bundle of letters. Here is a request to donate a prize for the tombola at a fete to raise money for the Home for Distressed Canvassers in Herne Bay. Here is an estimate from a builder for repairs to the roof of St Asquith’s – it is a little on the eyewatering side so, come the spring, I shall no doubt find myself up there directing operations. Here is a package with a Yeovil postmark marked ‘TOP SECRET: BURN BEFORE READING’. I suspect it will turn out to be from Paddy Ashplant and contain his latest plans for the general election campaign.

So, rather than offer you my usual diary, let me give you the benefit of my experience and assess our prospects in a number of seats at this year’s general election. (Those in the know, incidentally, expect it to be held on a Thursday early in May.)

Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South-West, 1906-10.

Liberal England in 2014: Part 2

Read part 1.

April

I photographed the Empire Hotel and hydropathic institution in Newfoundpool, Leicester, before it was too late. I enjoyed the next-door ruins of St Augustine's too.

Jeremy Browne's use of the concept of a 'global race' did not inspire me. (For the record, I did buy and read the book afterwards.)

I recalled the three times I have been mentioned in Hansard. (For the record, Charlotte Henry did give up.)

My next Leicester discovery was the giant redwoods of Humberstone.

I was not impressed by Nick Clegg's handling of the Cyril Smith revelations. And then it was off to Olney, where William Cowper is honoured, and you can find this angel in ivy in the churchyard.

May

I explored the grounds and precincts of Peterborough Cathedral and Leicester City had a victory parade - how long ago that now seems!

Lord Bonkers reminded us how he dealt with Nick Clegg's spot of teenage arson, while I was worried by the right to be forgotten.

I praised the courage of Theresa May's speech to the Police Federation and the courts ruled that Richard III should be buried in Leicester. Top judging.

My Comment is Free article - "It's not just outdoor play that's gone – so has a whole genre of children's fiction" - attracted a lot of comments.

"If changing the leader isn't the answer, what will the Liberal Democrats change?" I asked. Pointedly.

June

I spent a few days in Shropshire - one of my favourite discoveries was the Institute in Llanfair Caereinion.

The Stiperstones Inn, the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, The Old Gaol, Montgomery and Montgomery Castle also featured.

I took to writing occasional columns for the Leicester Mercury. That one was partly written at Stokesay Castle.

An unusual choice popped up as a Sunday music video: Carl Orff and his Music for Children - Trees and Flowers.

David Davies' institutes in Llanfair Caereinion and Montgomery

David Davies - the 1st Baron Davies - was Liberal MP for Montgomeryshire between 1906 and 1929. As an article in the Journal of Liberal History (Issue 29, Winter 2000–01) by J. Graham Jones showed, he was a trusted lieutenant of Lloyd George and an influential adviser on foreign affairs.

As well as being a politician, Davies was a public benefactor. And among his good works were institutes, built to spread learning and keep men out of the pub, in several of the small towns in his constituency. I came across a couple of them during my recent holiday.

The one above is in Llanfair Caereinion and was opened in 1913 - it is an interesting building to find in such a remote location and the tower is reminiscent of Lutyens.

The one below was opened in Montgomery after the end of the First World War. It is striking how much more backward-looking its architecture is - as well as how much better the weather was on the day I visited it.

The style of this later building may have been an attempt to fit in with the more picturesque setting Montgomery provides, but it may also tell us something important about the effect of that war on British life.

The Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

Opened in 1903 in an attempt to aid the local economy, this line runs for eight miles from Welshpool to Llanfair Caereinion.

It never made money and was closed to passengers in 1931. Freight services lasted long enough for the line to become part of British Railways, but they ceased in 1956.

The first few miles out of Llanfair were reopened by enthusiasts in 1963 and the line reached Welshpool once more in 1981. The building at its new Raven Square terminus there originally served Eardisley station in Herefordshire.

Originally the line ran all the way to Welshpool's mainline station, crossing the town by threading its way between buildings and crossing roads on the level. That route is now lost.

In fact, someone decided it was a good idea to build a busy main road between the station building and the railway there. Lorries race past the disused platform face at the back of the building.