by Jean Trumpington
McMillan, 2014
Baroness Trumpington published this account of her life in 2014 when she was 92. She has known most of the British Prime Ministers from Lloyd George onwards – and he was Prime Minister 100 years ago! I was therefore expecting that, in addition to learning about her interesting life, I would also learn some insights into some of these historically important figures. I felt disappointed therefore that the insights she gives into them are very slight, and sometimes simply say that she went on holiday with such a person at which she had a wonderful time.
Of her political beliefs she also gives no real insight. To be fair, she writes,
“This book is really about the first half of my life, not the ins and outs of my ministerial career: those with a particular interest can read Hansard” (page 196).
But not many people have the time to research the transcripts of Parliament. She writes,
“I learnt about all the hospitals, about the health service, about housing and about the police force” (page 183).
The book would have been richer if she had shared some pearls of wisdom from that accumulated knowledge.
Many years ago I read Rhodes Boyson’s autobiography “Speaking my mind”, who was a similar colourful character to Jean Trumpington. In that book as well learning about his life, it also gave food for thought on education policy.
Of her views on religion the only reference is on page 231,
“I am not a religious person at all, I am afraid; I believe we are as flowers in the field; we grow, we die and that is it.”
I found this touchingly ironic, because the “flowers in the field” phrase comes from the Bible! (Psalm 103 verse 15).
What I did learn from her life she sums up on page 217,
“If you take trouble with people, whoever they are, you can always have a laugh and make friends.”
Perhaps that is as important a lesson for me to learn, as my hoped for learning about political figures.
Adrian Vincent. August 2018.