The book of snobs
Richard Ingrams
DEBRETT'S DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE OF TODAY edited by Patricia Ellis Debrett, £72.50, pp.2,039 It is hard to see any point in this large and expensive book except to appeal to snobs. For a moment I considered whether the editors should be reported to the Office of Fair Trading for allowing it to be said in the Foreword by the Duke of Argyll 'This is not a list of members of the aristocracy or a social register. The editorial policy focuses on "achievers" in all walks of life.' Yet a glance at the entries shows that the bulk of them are included because they have some connection with the peerage and have achieved little or nothing in life, apart from an entry in Debrett's Disting- uished People of Today. At the same time a number of genuine achievers are not in the book at all. A short and random survey reveals the following omissions (other
readers I am sure could make similai lists): Arthur Scargill, Gavin Lightman QC, Liz Calder, Denis Thatcher, Andreas Whittam Smith, Alan Watkins, Myfanwy Piper, Christopher Hope and Tiny Rowland.,
It is by no means clear on what basis the entries have been compiled. Much of the information is already available in Who's Who and Debrett's Peerage. It has certainly not been submitted by the people them- selves. Whenever possible, as in my own case, it focuses on snobbish family details rather than on anything which might be described as an achievement. Take the case of Teresa Waugh, the beautiful and talented wife of The Spectator's columnist. We are told that she is the daughter of the sixth Earl of Onslow, the sister of the Seventh Earl of Onslow and the wife of Auberon Waugh. But of her achievements, notably the writing of a number of amusing and original novels — not a word! Similar- ly, in the case of Christopher Booker the fact that he was the first editor of Private Eye (perhaps his most notable achieve- ment) is not mentioned at all. However, you will be told that he was briefly married to the 'Hon Mrs Emma C. Tennant (q.v.)'. Final proof of the book's essentially snob- by raison d'être is the omission of Nigel Dempster, but the inclusion of his wife Camilla, daughter of the 11th Duke of Leeds.
Perhaps if it were accurate one might not mind so much. But those who shell out £72.50 may well feel aggrieved to find that the book is thoroughly unreliable. One example must suffice: that of my friend the distinguished music critic Mr Richard Osborne. He is described as IA English, Bradford College.' This should of course read Bradfield and in any case he ceased to occupy the post some two years ago as a result of an incomprehensible decision by the headmaster Mr Smith. Osborne contri- butes we are told, to the Gramaphone (sic) and the Independant (sic). Mr Osborne tells me that he had corrected a proof, but even had he not done so you would have thought that someone might have spotted such obvious howlers.
'This alternative medicine isn't working.'
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