But her parents were adamant: London was no place for a sheep

The younger girls always loved staying in London, though for Decca any time spent there was marred because she was not allowed to take Miranda. 'She'll be no trouble,' she said on this occasion, adding, 'The dear thing would so love it. She's never been to London.' But her parents were adamant: London was no place for a sheep.

M.S. Lovell, The Mitford girls (2001),99

Not a real church like Swinbrook, more a hall with kitchen food

Dink/Terry are coming here from June 11 to 21, I’m so excited for their visit. She/Benj are planning a 50th wedding anniversary for Bob/me on 20 June – you’ll be getting an invite. It’s to be at what Benj calls the ‘FUCK’, i.e. First Unitarian Church, Kensington. No Hen not a real church like Swinbrook, more a hall with kitchen food. 

Jessica to Deborah, 14 May 1993, ed. C. Mosley, The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters (2007), 812

Two enormous countries where you can’t get servants & where everything in the shops is machine-made

Then there was talk about Russia & I said, ‘You must realize that to us in Europe, Russia & America seem exactly the same, two enormous countries where you can’t get servants & where everything in the shops is machine-made.’ She said I’d got it all wrong & her customers have gracious lives like anything.

Nancy to Jessica, 28 August 1957, ed. C. Mosley, The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters (2007), 319

I naturally wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him if it was necessary for my cause, and I should expect him to do the same to me

I do think that family ties ought to make a difference. After all, violent differences of opinion didn’t prevent you & me from remaining good friends did they. My attitude to Esmond is as follows – and I rather expect his to me to be the same. I naturally wouldn’t hesitate to shoot him if it was necessary for my cause, and I should expect him to do the same to me. But in the meanwhile, as that isn’t necessary, I don’t see why we shouldn’t be quite good friends, do you. I wonder if he agrees.

Unity to Jessica, 11 April 1937, ed. C. Mosley, The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters (2007), 106

I should think a Communist would be much tidier, and not make so much extra work for the servants

Nanny and my mother had often pointed out to me that, if I was really a Communist, I should be more considerate of those members of the working class who happened to be at hand: 'Little D, I should think a Communist would be much tidier, and not make so much extra work for the servants,' Muv would say

J. Mitford, Hons and Rebels (1960), 96

Starting her list of expenditures with 'Flowers... £490'

Muv made sporadic efforts to interest us in the subject of household economy, and once offered a prize of half a crown to the child who could produce the best budget for a young couple living on £500 a year; but Nancy ruined the contest by starting her list of expenditures with 'Flowers... £490'.

J. Mitford, Hons and Rebels (1960), 45