John Stonehouse was a Walter Mitty figure and the bizarre aspects of his life, once again portrayed and enhanced in a new television drama, should not obscure his genuine commitment to colonial freedom and other less than popular political issues (Stonehouse story ‘far more fascinating’ than TV drama suggests, relative says, 3 January).
Both sides of his personality were displayed on a mission to Bangladesh in January 1972 that we were both members of, together with a fine political “fixer”, the late Donald Chesworth. We were charged with investigating atrocities by the Pakistan army in the Bangladesh civil war. Stonehouse was a genuine and committed supporter of Bangladeshi independence, but he tried to ride on his contacts with the provisional government to obtain a contract for the production and supply of postage stamps for the new country.
Also, he would make time to pursue personal financial deals on the spot by suggesting to Chesworth and me that “we can cover more ground if we follow separate investigations”.
While in Dhaka, Stonehouse became frustrated with the lack of initiative by British diplomats in befriending the provisional government, unlike various communist regimes. He therefore hosted a big reception for the new government ministers, the media and heads of diplomatic missions in the only large hotel – and sent the bill to the UK government.
When the news of his apparent disappearance appeared in the media, Chesworth and I never believed it – not least because Sheila Buckley, his long-serving secretary and mistress (and later wife), remained serene around Westminster.
Michael Meadowcroft
Leeds
• The House of Commons library, in which I worked for many years, has a book in which MPs can make written requests for books to be purchased for its stock. One such request, in the early 1960s, is from John Stonehouse MP. This was for Nevil Shute’s novel On the Beach. All the more odd as the library doesn’t stock fiction.
Rob Clements
Flowton, Suffolk
