Norman St John-Stevas, Baron St John of Fawsley - 1929-2012

[Nick Armstrong]

His toffdom was aspirational and as is usually the case in such circumstances he rather went overboard

Quite. I enjoyed this anecdote, from a journalist so probably untrue - but it's nice to think it might have actually happened:

"I rang him to ask if it were true that he collected Queen Victoria's underwear. Stevas picked up the phone pretending to be the butler, and then went and got himself... because of course he wouldn't have wanted anyone to think he was the kind of person who answered his own telephone."

[Nick Armstrong]

While not exactly evidence, the only story I know regarding Norm's being gay is as follows. He was at the Royal Opera House one evening with his new boyfriend when they bumped into Lord and Lady Carrington. Norm started to make the usual introductions and as he was introducing his boyfriend to Lady C she beamed and said "Oh we've met before!" "Really?" said Norm perplexed. "Oh yes" said Lady C " He sold me a lamp-shade in Peter Jones only this afternoon!"

Collapse of constitutional expert, apparently

There is talk that as well as good works at Emmanuel College, detailed above, he was known for "lavishing money and attention on small groups of very pretty male undergraduates"...

[amateur51]

Quite. I enjoyed this anecdote, from a journalist so probably untrue - but it's nice to think it might have actually happened:

"I rang him to ask if it were true that he collected Queen Victoria's underwear. Stevas picked up the phone pretending to be the butler, and then went and got himself... because of course he wouldn't have wanted anyone to think he was the kind of person who answered his own telephone."

[Magnificat]

My favourite story abot N S-J Stevas was the time when he was being shown around a cathedral and made a fuss about a new toilet block that was being installed which he described, in his usual pompous manner, as not being very aesthetic and totally out of keeping with the architecture although it could only be seen from the outside by the pigeons flying over it.

He railed against dangerous Deans and Chapters destroying our heritage etc but was put down very nicely by a very elderly Canon who assred him that when he got to his age he would find a modern toilet block very aesthetic indeed!!