Its been a busy week and I am still slowly revealing more details from my book. Why don't the Liberals come out of the woodwork and tell us what really happened to their leader in WW1? Was he threatening suicide? Did he take his eye off the ball? Was he more interested in Venetia than what was being discussed in the war cabinet? The story about Asquith's mental health gets worse and worse did Venetia's sister also try and pacify the irrational war time leader?
Watch out for more radio interviews this week...

More interest over the weekend ..

Lots of interest in Conspiracy of Secrets over this weekend! A Scottish newspaper was interested in the story because Asquith was MP for East Fife and rector of Glasgow University and a Welsh newsprint loves the story because Asquith often visited the Stanley family in their glorious summer house Penrhos ( 30 bedrooms) on Anglesey. There is strong evidence that Louis was born here.  Two more radio interviews to come this week Radio Scotland in the morning with another on Thursday morning.

After a miserable month with plenty of personal drama most of which was very sad, I can now look forward to more radio shows taking an in-depth interest in Conspiracy of Secrets. Tomorrow I will be speaking on the Bill Padley on Talk Radio Europe (http://tinyurl.com/ns6ksbk) I am sure  there will be lots of interest from ex-pats in my story. Then perhaps I will be interviewed by  Sue Dougan at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire tomorrow as well. I will keep you posted about timings. 

Thank you Chater's Motoring books for inviting me on your stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed to sign books. I loved it.

I know I shouldn't be surprised... but I am .. that so many people remember the era of BRM and Graham Hill. I suppose I was only a little girl then and really I had no idea how many followers BRM had... I knew that the first  BRM win in Zandvorte ( Holland) hit the national headlines but I never thought much about it at the time. ) I must have been about 11.

Thanks also to those who have already read Conspiracy of Secrets and came up to see me.... there were some great compliments .. perhaps the one I liked best was" I could not put it down.. and when I had finished it made me think so much.. I have never thought about a book so much before"! Thanks Alan.

I won't be there over the weekend but Chaters will look after you (not far from the Michelin stand on the way to the food tents). Its not really so amazing that so many people want to go to Goodwood as Lord March etc do it so well.. thanks for the courtesy car that did help as I had so much to carry.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Next Friday July 12th I shall be at the Chater's Motor Books Goodwood's Festival of Speed all day long, signing copies of my book.  You could ask: "Why the link with motor racing?"

Stepfather Louis Stanley was the domineering character who was the boss of BRM (British Racing Motors) with my wonderful mum Jean Stanley (she was the daughter of A. Owen who started Rubery Owen. the large motor engineering company of Darlaston).

In the book I recount tales from my childhood from the motor racing days of the 1950s and 60s.
Here's a bit about my memory of Aintree race course (the British GP was often held there in those days) in the days of Harry Schell.

This is me with Graham Hill when he was practising at Goodwood for the Easter meeting. . I was allowed in the pits .. The pit area is rather different these days but no less dangerous!

An extract from my book, Conspiracy of Secrets 

An earlier meeting at Aintree motor circuit is etched in my memory because of its ironical nature. On that day Stepfather risked all our lives however years later he became well-known in his fight to improve motor racing safety.

On the first practice day he marched my siblings and myself round the course, where he stopped at various places. He sat for hours on the tiny seat, absorbed with the viewfinder of his Leica, practising moving the camera in synchronisation with the car as it flashed by.

During the afternoon practice session he would want to be at a position near the track, where there were no spectators to disturb the swing of his camera. As the cars started to appear for practice, we walked around the course and based ourselves at the end of the Sefton Straight near the Melling Road. In front of us were some rusting poles, bending in unison, when the brisk wind blew across the undulating land. 

I jumped out of my skin when the first car came hurtling towards us. I tried to make my legs run for my life but the shrieking of the tyres and the engine cackling transfixed me. I closed my eyes, as the driver appeared to head straight for me and thrashed with the gearstick. After he had disappeared around the double-twisted turn, I turned to find Mum, equally terrified, pulling at Stepfather's jacket sleeve.

“We can’t stop here, we’re right in their path. I have to take the children to safety before another car comes.” 

“You’re my wife. You’re not going anywhere without me.”

“I think the children are frightened and there’s nothing to stop the cars coming straight into us.”

“Don’t be wimps”, he shouted at us, trying to be heard above the noise of the next car approaching. “This is an ideal place for photographs of the cars in action.”

The noise abated and he rasped in his usual way: “Come on, darling, there’s nothing to fear, they're just making a lot of noise. You’re not taking the children away. We’re watching expert drivers here. They know what they’re doing.”

Mum made more protestations, but all he said was, “There is this protective line of poles in front of us. Come on. You’ll soon get used to it.” He was clearly enjoying himself.

He turned to me and said, “This is something to tell your friends about at your primary school.” 

How little he knew me! I rarely told any of my friends about my home life.

As the next car stormed towards us, I noticed the driver had difficulty controlling the rear wheels as the back of the car swayed into the chicane. I gripped Mum’s hand tightly– it was cold.

She tried one more time to lift her voice above the scream of the next car:

“I'm sure this is far too dangerous for us all….”

“Don’t be silly, dear, this is fine,” not lifting his head from the viewfinder. “You’re getting an amazing view from here. You’ll soon get used to the cars coming straight for us.”

In the silences, I listened for the distant rumble of the next car as I searched the horizon for what appeared to be a tiny black fly that climbed the hump, before it came bearing down on us at over one hundred and eighty miles per hour. I grimaced each time, but I no longer closed my eyes, as I was fascinated by the cars, often with one or more of their wheels off the ground.

From a distance all the cars appeared to be the same colour and shape as they sped towards us, and I could only identify individual cars when they were upon us.

Mum and I felt more reassured when we recognized the BRM was out on the circuit with Harry Schell, our charismatic driver, at the wheel. Stepfather continued to concentrate on his photography as we watched our hero find the last possible braking point before drifting through the double bend.

Mum, with stopwatch in hand predicted when the American would appear over the brow of the hill. It seemed less alarming now we had the BRM to watch. At the allotted time I scanned the horizon for his car. Then, there he was, the uneven surface jostling him from side to side as the car bounced up and down. As he approached, I anticipated the noise of the jangling gears and screaming brakes but I did not expect the gesture! Harry raised his gloved right hand and gave us a big wave!

“Did you see that?” I yelled over the screech of the departing brakes.

Mum was as amazed as I was. Stepfather had missed the excitement as his capacious nose was still pressed tight into the sights of his camera.

The lap time of one minute thirty seconds appeared more like one and a half hours as I waited for Schell to reach the top of the small incline again. Finally there he was, bearing down on us, this time I was ready with my hands in the air.

As more cars joined the practice session the noise became continuous, so conversation was only possible during brief pauses between cars. The pungent aroma of the shredding tyres hung in the air and I could taste the spent fuel.

Finally the session was over and the track was quiet. My legs were like jelly. My mother, obviously relieved, was full of chatter.

 “Oh, Harry Schell is such good fun isn’t he?" she chirped. We all agreed. "Fancy, having the time, on that corner, to give us a wave!”

Back in the paddock, Harry was grinning, happy with his practice times for the day.

Mum congratulated him, “That time is brilliant for the first day. Fancy having the time to wave at us on the Sefton chicane, the fleas, (a term she liked to use for us children) really enjoyed that. You've made their day they can’t stop talking about it.”

“Oh that’s all part of the fun,” he replied, “but I was also trying to warn you. That’s a treacherous position to watch, if any of us had lost control, like a car did last year, we would have ploughed straight into you.”

Suddenly Stepfather had slunk away. Mum stuttered, “but there’s those iron protective railings.”

“They'd fall like a pack of cards. That’s not any protection for cars, that’s for the horses. They wouldn’t stop a Hillman Minx at ten miles an hour.”

            

After our experience at the end of the Melling Straight we never watched from unprotected corners again but motor racing in those days was lethal. In those days drivers died. It was a common experience for those you knew to die or be injured so horrifically they never raced again.

My mother and stepfather in the paddock when they were joint managing directors  of BRM.
Tony Rudd, chief engineer, is beside Graham Hill with the mechanics in their white overalls with the family company logo on their chests. 

Festival of Speed

Now that Murray has finally won at Wimbledon I can concentrate on my book signing session at the Festival of Speed. Looking forward to be amongst keen race goers of the past.

Book signing organised at Goodwood .. July 12 th. I'm very excited .. just like I was as a child. We always used to  go to the Easter Monday meeting. With Easter eggs all over the back shelf and told to hide them as we entered the Paddock. I dont know how my mum did all that driving and in those days terrible traffic jams. For those of you who think my book is just about discovering Asquith its not .. its also about fond memories of following BRM that great racing car of the 1950s and 60s. Motor racing was so trilling in those days and I will never forget the noise of that supercharged engine.

Wow! Did Disraeli have a love child or two .. just like HH Asquith? Were all the Prime Ministers at it in the past? Was it as a badge of honour for high placed statesmen or was it a typical male politician's behaviour?


http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news
/uk_news/People/article1274582.ece?CMP=O
TH-gnws-standard-2013_06_16

"Had such a public revelation, it would have destroyed the career of one of the Conservative party's most revered figures, two years before his first term as prime minister." Sunday Times 16 June 2013.

It would be interesting to talk to Catherine Styles from New Zealand who claims that its her grandmother who was Disraeli's lovechild. I will keep you posted.

Interesting to read that History Today magazine ( http://www.historytoday.com) has an article about the history of drinking. That the expression Squiffy developed because Asquith was so well known for his drinking habits. The young Winston Churchill once had to pick him up off he House of Commons floor this was all covered up!

Thank you Susan Johnston of New Zealand for your comment .. that Conspiracy of Secrets  is a "fabulous book" and thank you for  putting a five star  review on Waterstone's website!

Morley: The birthplace of H.H.Asquith

I recently visited Morley in Yorks to give a talk to the local family history group about my book.

The sign on the gate to Croft House, where H.H.Asquith was born.

 The garden at Croft House.. was this an old water mill?

You can't see the front of the house 

The bust of Asquith in Morley Town Hall. Asquith was given freedom of the city. Violet Bonham Carter is daughter continued the family links with the town. ( I wonder if Venetia Stanley ever went.. I must find out!)

Morley is proud  ...

I felt very welcome in Morley with the Family History Group.
The audience was knowledgeable and asked some really good questions. Of course I dont know why some people act like they do .. but I guess we want to try and understand why some human beings behave!
I can guess why the politicians acted the way they did, but as for Stepfather I am not so sure, I know why.

Travelled by train and when I got to Morley station ( having looked it up on Google) .. I was going to walk to the venue .. but a really really nice lady saw my suitcase and asked where I was going .. she then insisted on taking me to the hall in her car.. ( very grateful as it was much longer than it looked and there were long flights of steps). thank you whoever you were ..

New booking .. talk to be given to the Lancashire Family History Group ( London division) at Brompton Library on March 22nd 2014 at 2.00 PM

Trip to Birthplace of H.H.Asquith

On my way to Morley the birthplace of Stepfather father! H.H.Asquith only lived there until he was four but he was given freedom of the city .. and when he went Violet of course went with him .. I wonder if Venetia Stanley also went?

Talk tonight at Kingsgate Tennis Club, Winchester .. come along .. I will talking about how Winchester came into my story numerous times .. all spooky!  Be there at 7.00 tonight June 3rd!

New information

I will be going to Goodwood more information soon

Genealogy in 'Conspiracy of Secrets'

The last of the pile of books we took as stock - sold!

Who Do You Think You Are?

It was a relief to discover that a professional genealogist rates the genealogical research I did in the writing of my book, Conspiracy of Secrets.

In the book I trace the origins of my stepfather whose past was very carefully concealed and I discovered that he was the illegitimate son of Prime Minister Asquith and the much younger, Venetia Stanley, his daughter's best friend.

When you attend something as extraordinary as the Who Do YOu Think You Are? LIVE show and find Olympia heaving with professionals and experts... and the investigative methods you used in your research are what they do for a living, it is quite daunting! Anyway, I booked a stall at the WDYTYA? Live show and last weekend laden with stock, I went to sell my book and spread the word. I had a wonderful three days there and you can read about it on my book's Facebook Page - do visit me there!

So I was delighted to be contacted by professional genealogist, Roy Stockdill who tells me that my genealogy was spot on. You can read Roy's wonderful blog posts here:- Roy Stockdill blog post. Thank you, Roy!

WDYTYA?live show, Olympia, February 2013

You can just see me, hard at work at Olympia, in this picture. I am the figure in pale blue, standing to the left of a man in a suit, about an inch from the top, pretty much in the centre of the frame.






[Bobbie Neate's book Conspiracy of Secrets is published by John Blake Publishing]