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