Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Episode: The Truth About the Mitford Sisters
Host: Dr Kate Lister
Guest: Mimi Pond
Date: November 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the notorious lives of the Mitford sisters, six aristocratic women whose wildly divergent politics, eccentricities, and varied accomplishments captured and scandalized 20th-century Britain. Dr Kate Lister is joined by author and cartoonist Mimi Pond, who recently created a graphic biography of the sisters. Together, they unravel how figures from one family could become fascists, communists, debutantes, duchesses, and literary forces—and why the fascination endures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Were the Mitford Sisters? (03:34–08:11)

• Six aristocratic sisters, born 1904–1920 to Baron David Mitford and Sidney Mitford, grew up in isolated, eccentric conditions in the Cotswolds.
• The girls were educated at home by governesses and had limited social interaction outside family and close relations (notably, as cousins of Winston Churchill).
• Each was driven to distinguish herself, setting up a dynamic of wit, competition, and escape plans due to little financial support or traditional prospects.

Notable quote (05:03–05:08):
"Holy shit balls, man. That. What a family." — Kate Lister

2. Instigators and Scandal-Makers: Profiles of Key Sisters

Unity and Diana Mitford: Fascist Groupies (02:27–05:02; 10:20–26:10)

• Unity Mitford:

  • Absorbed by the fascist movement, became obsessed with Hitler, meeting him over 100 times and publishing anti-Semitic propaganda.
  • Displayed unusual behaviors (e.g., sliding under the dinner table, eating only mashed potatoes).
  • Attempted suicide in Munich when Britain declared war on Germany, resulting in brain damage; later died from complications (28:24–28:56).

• Diana Mitford:

  • Left Guinness heir husband for Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists.
  • Married Mosley at the Goebbels home in Germany; remained an unrepentant fascist until her death.
  • Imprisoned in Britain during WWII for suspected treason, endured both squalor and privilege (brought in food from Harrods, won a fur coat in a lawsuit while jailed).

Notable quote (26:00–26:12): "We will let you get away with a lot if you're very pretty, but we do. We have to draw the line at hardcore Nazism, I think." — Kate Lister

Jessica Mitford: The Communist Rebel (08:11–36:46)

• The most celebrated in the U.S. for her exposes of the American funeral industry and relentless activism.
• Ran off as a teen with Esmond Romilly (Winston Churchill's nephew) to cover the Spanish Civil War; later involved in civil rights and union movements in America.
• Endured personal tragedy (loss of her child to measles, husband’s death in WWII), but built a life of meaningful activism and wit.

Notable quote (42:05–42:56): "Jessica's always going to be my favorite because she was so funny and so sharp and so witty and just would be so much fun. I'd be a bit afraid of Nancy because she hated Americans...her mother described her as being like a sparkling fish. Lore that is disguised under the feathers as a nasty hook." — Mimi Pond

Nancy Mitford: Literary Star (05:32–05:34, throughout)

• Oldest sister, novelist ("The Pursuit of Love," "Love in a Cold Climate"), famed for sharp wit, often mean-spiritedness.
• Opposed fascist sisters, instrumental in Diana’s wartime internment.

Deborah ("Debo") Mitford: Aristocratic Survival (37:47–41:28)

• Became Duchess of Devonshire after family tragedies involving the Kennedys.
• Known for wit, farm management, and rumors of a close relationship with JFK.

Pamela Mitford: The Quiet Eccentric (41:28–41:44)

• Soft-spoken, animal lover, farm expert; married Derek Jackson, described as a "vigorous bisexual" and literal rocket scientist.
• Preferred rural life, running farms (and misidennfying cows), and poultry.

3. Family Dynamics and Early Clues (09:16–09:49)

• Early signs of division and oddness:
  • Unity’s behaviors suggest possible neurodivergence.
  • Each sister developed a dramatic "exit strategy" from their restrictive home.
• The family expressed little unity, with siblings reporting one another in wartime.

4. England's Relationship with Fascism (13:13–14:15)

• Fascism, pre-WWII, enjoyed surprising popularity among the British elite, supported even by prominent newspapers.
• Mosley and Diana’s public embrace of fascism landed them as ‘the most hated couple in Britain’ during and after the war (22:59–23:01).

5. Jessica’s Radical Path and American Reinvention (27:05–36:46)

• Ran off to Spain, later immigrated to America.
• Immersed in activism for civil rights, labor rights, and exposed systemic exploitation through journalism and advocacy.

6. "Bright Young Things" and Cultural Influence (09:16–09:40, 37:58–41:28)

• The sisters moved in elite social circles, influencing and intersecting with historical figures (Winston Churchill, the Kennedys, JFK).

7. Notoriety, Betrayal, and Aftermath (20:34–24:08)

• Nancy denounces Diana to authorities; the betrayal only discovered after Nancy’s death.
• Public outrage over Mosleys’ early release post-war; Diana showed no remorse for her politics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Mitford Sisters’ Upbringing:
  “The library was like our church, you know, religiously. Every two weeks we went to the library.” – Mimi Pond (03:39)

• Describing the Family:
  “They were just very odd. I mean, the parents were very eccentric in our own classic English, upper class eccentric way... It was a really odd combination of, you know, very upper class and very kind of just oddball behavior." – Mimi Pond (07:02–07:56)

• On Unity’s Fascination with Hitler:
  "She went to Munich to go to, you know, finishing school. That was her excuse. But she really went to Munich to stalk Hitler, which she did successfully." – Mimi Pond (10:20)

• On Diana’s Marriage to Oswald Mosley:
  "They get married at Magda and Joseph Goebbels house, You know, Basically just pretty much to please Hitler." – Mimi Pond (18:36)

• On Jessica’s American Adventure:
  "They ran a bar in an Italian restaurant for a while...Then went to work doing clerical work for the government in D.C. and rose in the ranks of the typing pool and became involved in the office of OPA." – Mimi Pond (34:46–35:44)

• On Pamela Mitford:
  “Pam married Derek Jackson, who I like to refer to as a vigorous bisexual...he was also a fricking rocket scientist.” – Mimi Pond (39:39–39:54)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Setup: 00:32–03:34
• Who Were the Mitford Sisters? 03:34–08:11
• Family Oddities and Early Signs: 09:16–10:20
• Unity and Diana’s Nazi Ties: 10:20–26:10
• British Fascism in Context: 13:13–14:15
• Wartime Arrests and Betrayal: 20:34–24:08
• Unity’s Suicide Attempt and Aftermath: 26:12–28:56
• Jessica’s Runaway and Activism: 27:05–36:46
• Deborah and Pamela’s Arcs: 37:47–41:28
• Final Reflections, Favorite Sister: 42:05–43:29

Conclusion

Mimi Pond and Kate Lister paint a portrait of the Mitford sisters as dazzling, appalling, and always compelling: six siblings whose individual lives reflected and influenced the wild shifts of 20th-century politics and culture, united only by wit, determination, and notoriety.

Find more about Mimi Pond at: mimipond.com or on Instagram, “Mitfords in a Minute” series.