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Bottomley MP (1860 - 1933)
Upper Dicker is the Sussex village where Horatio Bottomley decided to make his home and become the village squire. He was loved by the villagers most of whom ended up working for him; however, many of the gentry of the surrounding villages loathed him. This very gifted man had a harsh and severe start in life. Perhaps that is why he determined to wreak vengeance on society that had, to his mind, rejected and left him to fend for himself. From the time he had to leave an orphanage aged 14 it was not long before the country was to discover Horatio Bottomley was an exceptionally gifted man not one to be, dismissed, ignored or treated badly ever again.
He became: a great orator and public speaker; a highly respected and feared lay barrister; a very successful publisher (founder of the Financial Times, Hansard, The Sun ‘then an evening paper’, and the incredibly popular (racist and invective) John Bull magazine. He was; a charming, very humorous and eloquent Member of Parliament and a rogue (nothing changes). His legendary gambling, philandering and exotic lifestyle and champagne drinking made him a household name. During WW1 he was an astonishingly good recruiter gaining the title “the Soldiers’ Champion” becoming one of the most popular men in the country.
Where and how did he make the money one might ask? Sadly this highly talented character had a darker side, in that he was a ruthless extremely successful swindler until eventually caught out and imprisoned for seven years. After his early release (5 years) he was still hugely popular – nowhere more so than in Upper Dicker.
However he died a pauper - no grave, just ashes spread on the South Downs.
As his life is so incredible and varied it would be impossible to justify writing a short profile. I have taken the liberty of compiling a cursory, posthumous and chronological diary, covering just a sample of things that occurred during his life. I have written in the first person trying to regale you as he might have done, but so much more eloquently. Following this I is an account of the impact and involvement he had in the village of Upper Dicker and his home ‘The Dicker’.
For those of you who have been intrigued by what I have written and wish to know more I have provided details of some books and websites to peruse. STARTING OUT
1860
Let me start by clearing up some dastardly rumours about who was my father. My birth certificate clearly avers my parents as Elizabeth Bottomley (nee Holyoake) my mother, married to William Bottomley, my father. However, Charles Bradlaugh the great reformist orator and MP, was greatly admired by my mother, who attended all his lectures on the Reformist Movement. There are some plausible reasons for gossip suggesting I might have been his biological son; I did have similar facial features but unlike him I was short in stature, whereas he was a giant of a man. However I was stocky and powerful and like him had a remarkably good brain, oratory skill and a natural gift of persuasion. Much has been made of the fact that my uncle Austin Holyoake, my mother and Bradlaugh were best friends and it is correct that I have on more than one occasion said, that I might be Bradlaugh’s son. In truth I would like that; now that I have joined in company with them again, perhaps even I, shall learn the truth.
I had a sister Florence but neither of us were destined to see much of our parents as both of them died before I was aged 4 years. Florence was fostered out to a nice family and was very happy while I went to live with one of the Holyoake family on my mother’s side. They soon found they were unable afford this addition to their own large family. I was sent to Josiah Mason’s new orphanage Nr. Birmingham and suffered a very harsh upbringing until at age 14, at which age all boys had to leave and fend for themselves. In fairness however, I did receive an education and found while at the orphanage I was blessed with an exceptional memory for facts and figures, excelling in maths; this was very handy for the world in which I was about to embark. 1875
I returned to London to be near my sister and the Holyoake family members. Uncle Austin said I should learn Pitman’s shorthand, as by then I had managed to get a job with a firm of solicitors. Braudlaugh worked closely with my uncle and when not studying at Pitman’s I became acquainted with him and furthered my education as a result. 1878
I decided to join a more reputable firm of solicitors – ‘Walpole’ that specialised in Court reports. Soon friends introduced me to local debating societies (parliaments) where political discussions took place and were known locally as “Hansards”. I enjoyed them immensely and determined to start making public speeches following Bradlaugh’s example; I was so successful they appointed me their ‘Prime Minister’.
1880
 I fell in love and married Eliza Norton. 1883
I was now quite well respected as a Court reporter and Public Speaker. My boss was so impressed he made me a partner, renaming the firm – Walpole & Bottomley.
1884 I decided to follow in the footsteps of my uncle Austin and start a publishing Company. At the age of 24 years I was an impressive young man and commanded a certain air of respect largely due to my prowess as a public speaker, Court journalist and reporter. Tommy Cox, who became a life long friend from the time I came to London, advised his friends and associates that I was a man who would go far and become a famous publisher. They might do well by staying close and helping out when needed. They could for example be called upon, and well paid, to hold derogatory placards outside firms that showed a reluctance to advertise in my nascent publications. Before long my publishing portfolio grew to included the Financial Times and Hansard Court reports and I could afford to indulge in buying and selling smaller publications. Advertising revenue grew rapidly, particularly as my claques (stables I called them), were able to use gentle persuasion reminding firms that my publishing was becoming more widespread and powerful by the day; I could now promote or defame according to how much advertisers were willing to support the papers. I amalgamated all the publications under one Company and joined up with a printer and advertising agency, and was able to convince a financier to float “The Hansard Printing Union with a £500.000 market capitalisation and later increased to £1million.
1884 - 1890
I was now enjoying the good life with champagne for breakfast, dallying with chorus 
girls, betting, particularly horse racing, and became a virtual denizen of the theatre world. Tommy, meanwhile had managed to wheedle out a few impecunious and gullible influential and titled people to join my board of directors – one, had even had been Lord Mayor of London. Most of them came to depend on the money I was able to afford them for their own high living standards and could therefore be relied upon as directors, to pass through any deals I put forward to the Company. In this way I managed to dissipate some £620,000 of Company money, much of it to subsidise my lifestyle and maintain the ‘stables’ and harems of chorus girls ( I was always vulgar). Eventually there was so little money left, I had to liquidate the Company. The Registrar had the effrontery to hint that because some of the records were not perfect I had somehow done something improper with the bookkeeping. I told him “ if you think I personally kept the books, I can tell you Sir, I never kept a book in my life”. I should also mention that at this time I harboured ideals of becoming a Member of Parliament, and during this period was invited to stand as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hornsey. I didn’t win, but put up such a good fight that W.E. Gladstone himself congratulated me and sent a solid silver tea set in recognition of the effort. It occurred to me that as a man of some substance now I might enhance my image and become a country squire. A small cottage with land adjoining was found in a rural Sussex village, Upper Dicker. I bought it in 1889.
1891- 1893
Just because I had made some astute moves that benefited me personally while my Company collapsed, The Official Receiver, egged on by the Press, charged me with fraud and arraigned me to appear before a very much-feared Judge Hawkins. The City, the Press even the legal profession were against me, as it seemed obvious I was guilty. Naturally I was outraged and decided to defend myself in Court. The Press were revelling at the thought of juicy stories about to unfold – after all, here was I, a flamboyant wealthy financier, outrageous gambler and philanderer, so full of myself, that with no previous experience as a lay barrister, was precocious enough to defend a hopeless case. Only someone with a panglossian character such as mine would attempt such a feat - and win.
I will not bore you with the details of the trial only to state that of course I was completely exonerated. I belittled the bemused prosecution barristers, especially the Registrar for not having any facts to hand or real proof of what I was accused; further, I alleged that he had based the whole case on hearsay and supposition. Following my subsequent superb masterpiece of oratory to the jury, the case was dismissed. If you feel I boast too much let me tell you; the judge was so impressed by my performance he invited me to his chambers and tried to convince me to study for the Bar, stating I would become one of the great barristers of our time. However I had other ideas, but was thrilled and proud, when he sent his clerk with his own wig and notes of the case as a gift.
Sadly, I was not entirely finished with the case, due to the stigma of the Winding up Order that had folded my Company. I approached the Official Receiver to persuade him to rescind the bankruptcy order and in August 1893 he granted my request. As the press had covered the case on a daily basis; I had become a national figure, and in the eyes of the public, a brilliant lay barrister and financial genius. 1894 My lifestyle was now so shamelessly flamboyant and colourful, not to mention vulgar, that my financial resources were running low again. I needed a new idea to obtain money quickly. As luck would have it, gold was discovered in Australia and Companies were being formed to buy mining leases to exploit the gold deposits. This was the perfect scenario for a financial genius such as myself. I started the West Australian Loan & General Finance Corporation. My idea was to buy mining leases and sell shares; this was quite easy, as my reputation had been made as a financial genius after the Court case. Shares in any new Company I launched immediately increased in value and I sold at a profit. When I had used up most of the Company money I told shareholders the mine was a failure and that I was reconstructing it into another Company with better prospects and importantly their existing shares would be valid to exchange for shares in the new Company. They believed every word, and during a 12-month period I started and liquidated (or reconstructed) more than 20 Companies that cumulatively had a market value of £10 million. I was rich beyond my dreams, openly referred to as a Napoleon of business. Many in the City though were not so gullible described my schemes as “ Bottomley’s Swindle.” !898
I loved champagne and wherever possible had it with kippers for breakfast; any business associates or disgruntled shareholder coming to see me were always entreated by Tommy to have a glass or two before discussions began.
I risked huge sums betting and at Upper Dicker had a stud built and bought my first racehorses in this Country, determined to win the Derby and Grand National. I have to admit that unusually, I failed in that particular aspiration, but did win many other good races including the Caesarewitch twice. I loved horses but really knew nothing about training; however, I did know about betting odds and would place as much as £40,000 on a horse. Such excesses were always reported in the racing press and any great wins added to my persona with the working classes. 1900 Tried once again to enter parliament, this time as Liberal Candidate for South Hackney. The Tory majority was over 3000 but with the help of Tommy Cox and friends who caused disturbances at opposition meetings and various other forms of subterfuge, I managed to reduce their majority and lost by a meagre 280 votes. Once again I had to defend my good name, this time against an Austrian man who accused me of fraud and blackmail inferring that I should be in the Old Bailey Dock rather than in Parliament. Again, I won the case and was awarded damages of £1000. and by now such was my legal prowess that I was openly referred to as the best Lay Barrister in the land. Not bad going I think, for an orphanage lad still only 40 years of age. 1902 I bought the ailing Sun newspaper (an evening edition) but despite my best efforts it l failed to make money and I sold it. The Australian gold frenzy was beginning to peter out and once more money was getting short. All my abilities were put to the test during the period 1901 – 1906; during which time I started 50 Companies and defended 60 bankruptcy petitions.
1905
I was still determined to enter parliament. Once again Tommy and friends got to work causing havoc at the Tory meetings while I had my racehorses parade outside the meetings with placards “Vote for my Owner”. Great parties were organised and outings for the children and parents of the constituency, while I campaigned in the pubs buying rounds of drinks for everyone. I reversed the Tory majority and was duly elected as the Liberal candidate for South Hackney with a majority of 3000 and now finally became a Member of Parliament. Of course I was not enthusiastically welcomed in the House, in fact my inaugural speech was heard in silence. However my natural and disarming charm and humour soon won them over.
1906
I met with Julias Elias the proprietor of Odhams press and outlined an idea that I had to produce a 1p publication under the title of John Bull with an initial run of 50,000 copies. Although he had doubts about my honesty, he was aware of my investigative, journalistic and somewhat vituperative talents in that field and decided to take a chance and invest £50,000. He was not disappointed - the first copy launched in May sold out almost immediately, with readers sucked in with lurid stories and headlines vilifying those in power. I had complete charge of everything other than the printing; I could and did castigate any Company or person. I wrote open letters to the King stating that
while he was on the throne, what need was there of a Parliament that lacked common sense and the ability to raise money for the good of the country; it should be run by successful businessmen such as myself. Letters to the King and Prime Minister struck a chord with the readers and I freely fanned the flames of nationalism.
Elias should have been very happy with the success, sales were growing exponentially but (believe it or not) I had omitted to pay back any of his loan or pay the printing bills - obviously a minor error of mismanagement. I told him the problem was all the money had been spent on management matters but between you and I, there was also the little matter of maintaining my standard of living. He wanted to know about his £50,000 and I told him that that payment was only to procure the use of my brains, but if there was a problem perhaps we should have a glass or two of champagne and come to an arrangement. It was agreed that from there on he would take over all the management and advertising income from which he would deduct his printing and overhead costs and I would have the remainder. Within months we had built up the circulation to 1 million with fantastically loyal readers that believed in the publication mantra “ If John Bull says so – It is so”. 1907 Once again the Courts were hounding me for fraud and embezzlement and yet again I defended the case against all odds and it was dismissed. 1909 This was a sad time for me as my beloved sister Florence died. 1910
I stood again for South Hackney constituency and made an outstanding victory over the Tory opponent. However I was fed up with the Liberals and rejected the party whip. I decided to stand as an Independent and form my own party; The John Bull League - opposed to all forms of cant and party lies. 1912 Those virulent and implacable Prudential people forced me into admitting my liabilities exceeded my assets by £200,000 and I was placed into bankruptcy again. The worst thing about it was that I could no longer remain an active MP and had to apply for the Chiltern Hundreds. However I could still criticise, and my John Bull paper accused parliament of being a “musty, rusty corrupt system”. 1913 I was now about to embark on the most active and financially rewarding time of my life. I whipped up Nationalist fervour against Germany declaring all “Germ Huns “ living in Britain be exterminated, and chastising all those who preached appeasement such as that wimp, Ramsay Mcdonald, leader of the Labour party who actually had the audacity to infer I was of doubtful birthright. He regretted the action when I had his own birth papers depicted on the front page of John Bull clearly showing that he not me, was a bastard. It was gratifying that not everyone was pleased to see me out of parliament; F.E. Smith the eminent KC. said of me – “ his absence from the House of Commons has impoverished the public stock of gaiety, of cleverness, of common sense”. Clearly this was a man of reason and understanding. I was soon back in the business of making money with the determination to pay off my debt and return to parliament. I had launched racing lotteries in John Bull 
operating them from Switzerland to circumvent the law. Money flowed into the Swiss office so furiously that I frequently went there and returned quite literally, with sacks full of money but it vanished almost as quickly evaporating with the costs of my ever more expansive social lifestyle. 1913 – 1918 With war imminent I almost decided to turn a leaf and become legitimate. I gave fantastic public speeches denouncing Germany and encouraging men to join up; popular jingles rolled off my tongue … .“ and we, The British Empire, as the chosen leaders shall travel along the road of
human destiny and progress”.
Theatres were inundated with people paying to hear me speak, reaching a zenith at the Royal Opera House in London when 5000 people crowded in, and a further 20,000 stood outside to hear me. In 1915 thousands more thronged in, and outside, the Albert Hall, when I recited my war poem starting
“ Why is the Red Blood flowing?” John Bull became increasingly popular. I wrote challenging pieces including such lines as - “It is not necessary to be a soldier but it is necessary to be a man”. I became arguably the greatest recruiter in the Country with a record number of 1000 men joining up after hearing me speak at a meeting. I was welcomed everywhere as the “Soldiers Champion”. I was of course exceedingly well paid; impresarios clamoured for me to appear on stage as part of their show, thereby guaranteeing a full house. 
Politicians including Churchill and Lloyd George asked my help, encouraging me to visit the troops abroad
 and reviewing The Fleet, even being requested by the PM to speak with and encourage Scottish workers at the docks not to go on strike. All this time though, my thoughts were about getting back into parliament. I dearly wanted to be back in the Commons and all I had to do was find £250,000 and buy off my bankruptcy. Fortunately John Bull was the perfect medium for promoting scams and before long the debt had been repaid. 1919 An election was called in 1918 and I campaigned again for South Hackney. Tommy and my claques did me proud. We arranged lots of parties etc., - train and coach trips that I often joined were immensely popular and everyone agreed with my alliterative slogan: Bottomley + Brains + Business. I achieved an incredible 8000 majority and immediately informed the press and public that with such a majority “I intend to return to Parliament and run the show”. It was the stupidity of parliament that offered me the greatest scam opportunity of my life when so much money flowed that even I was overwhelmed. They had launched £5 Victory Bonds without enquiring whether or not the majority of the working classes could afford them. I saw my chance and launched the Victory Bond Club and used John Bull to promote it. The idea was simple - Members would be offered one fifth of a Victory Bond for £1 and I assured them the money would be designated to a trustee who would buy the £5 Government Bonds and all income generated by them would be passed on as prizes in a bond holder’s draw. This scheme became an unimaginable success; police were called to control the crowds that clamoured for bonds paying in as much as a £100,000 a day. The deluge of money turned the offices into an Augean stable where money was piled up on tables and the staff (not all of a salutary background), often dipped in and helped themselves. For me it was almost too good; I now had a virtual bank that could be raided as often as I wished. I indulged in buying other newspapers most of which were loss making and remained so; I backed a number of stage shows, especially those where my lovely and devoted girl friend, Peggy Primrose, could be the star, but most of these failed. I didn’t care, money like champagne was flowing freely, chorus girls competed to be seen with me at shows and race meetings; I was so well known and admired I could go virtually anywhere in the country and say “ I’m Bottomley” and be welcome. A low class swindler Ruebens Bigland had put me up to, and participated in, many of my sweepstake schemes. I abhorred the man and pushed him out of my life whereon he became my nemesis and the instrument of my eventual downfall. Word had gradually got out that the bonds were not all I made them out to be. This was manna for that blackguard Bigland. 1922 I was again to go on trial for fraud and decided rather stupidly to defend the case myself – a clear case of megalomania on my part and needless to say I lost the case. The leading advocate for the prosecution Travers Perkins KC in his memoirs aptly described the description of my appearance at the trial: “ the fact is that in those days (1914) he was a brilliant advocate and a clever lawyer, though completely unscrupulous in his methods … In truth it was not I who floored Bottomley, it was drink. The man I met in 1922 was a drink-sodden creature whose brain would only be got to work by repeated doses of champagne”. I was sentenced to 7 years penal servitude but released after five. 1927
My arrival at The Dicker was unexpected, as the authorities, afraid there might be demonstrations, had released me earlier than planned. Not only did my dear wife and daughter not know, but also the villagers who had been planning a welcome for me later. Within minutes of my arrival word got around and before long the houses were being draped with bunting. Next day the local Brass Band from a nearby village was brought into play outside my home and coach loads of sightseers came from Eastbourne to catch a glimpse of me.
A Union Jack was hoisted and people sang a lyric to the music (not written by me)
Then Welcome Home to Bottomley
Deny it if you can
He played his part
He’s right at heart.
And every inch a man.
The Daily Despatch helped things along by paying me £12000 for a short series of articles and I could once again enjoy a few glasses of champagne.
My dear wife died on 7 February 1930 and my daughter Florence married her second husband and shortly after went to his homeland South Africa. I carried on trying to revive my publishing career but time and lifestyle had taken its toll and despite the heroic efforts of my real love Peggy Primrose, eventually I succumbed to the inevitable and died in penury. There it is then. A rough start to life and a very rough end – but what a time I had in between. PS.
Its not all bad news down here; I am working on some fantastic opportunities and have launched the Bottomley Astral Investment Trust – those of you wishing to get involved can purchase shares at…………..
The Family at The Dicker Eliza (or Alysa as she sometimes preferred) was never really happy at The Dicker. She had little interest in Horatio’s flamboyancy and was possessed of few conversational skills, and was ill at ease when in the company of his ‘upmarket’ friends. For many years she lived in France near to Monaco where Horatio, always attentive to her needs, had bought her a substantial property in which to convalesce after an illness. I suspect she spent some of her happiest moments there especially when ‘Orace’ as she always referred to him, used to come and visit. At The Dicker she could on occasions be quite haughty wishing to be addressed as Mrs Bottomley, wife of The Squire but, more often she wandered around in a cosy dream-world of her own or would spend hours alone in the garden conservatory doing needlework or reading. She never lost her rather vulgar characteristics and was heard on more than one occasion to cry “ Oh Orace, why can’t we go back to the days when we ‘ad no money and were ‘appy”. People often wonder why he married her; certainly one could never say it was a close marriage but she always stood by him no matter what, and in turn he never ignored her material needs. Perhaps he just enjoyed her naivety and lack of ambition, the complete antithesis of himself. Florence Cohn (neé Bottomley) their daughter was a more intelligent lady who took over the running of the house for her father. Her first husband Captain Jefferson Cohn was a godson of Jefferson Davis President of the Confederate States of America. A common feature of the Bottomley family was their love of food and drink. There were always tables laden with food and four full meals were served daily. When Horatio was with friends there would generally be a number of what he would call ‘low birth easy virtue girls’ to add a little glamour and perhaps a little ’amour’. Naturally the Champagne flowed copiously. Girlfriends were always well treated by Horatio; he gave them lavish presents often allowing them to live rent free in several of his London properties or simply paying their rents. This generosity usually extended many years, long after he had ceased to see them. However he had one long-term enduring girlfriend who I believe was his true love, Peggy Primrose an actress whom he frequently spent thousands on trying to promote her on stage. Certainly she loved him deeply and it was she who took him in at her home when he lost The Dicker and it was there that he died. He was never a religious man but befriended the local vicar and was a generous benefactor of the church. For some reason unknown he bought a grave space in the churchyard where his wife Elizabeth lies buried: the mystery is that it is a double size grave. Was he intending to be buried beside her? – if so, why did his Will express a desire that his ashes be spread over the Gallops Nr. The Dicker, where his horses were trained? One story implies that Eliza’s family were so disgusted at his infidelity that they refused to let him be buried alongside. Others state that because he never disguised the fact that he was an avowed atheist, the vicar refused him a church burial. Whatever the case, Eliza lies alone in a grave for two to this day in the churchyard opposite The Dicker.  There are many stories and examples of Horatio’s paradoxical nature; he championed soldiers throughout the war, and then ruthlessly exploited them afterwards by marketing his Victory bond swindles to them in particular. Yet, when it was found that one of his tenants who couldn’t pay rent was a wounded soldier, Horatio personally signed his rent book to confirm the man could live free for the remainder of his life. Such actions of course made him look a saint in the eyes of some and just added to his enigmatic persona. A Robin Hood who robbed the poor to pay the poor but gave himself so very much more. Despite the village of Upper Dicker being devoted to their ‘Squire’ and where for a number of years after his death, only a foolhardy visitor would refer to him as a swindler; it is surprising there is no mention of him, no memorial no plaque. When I spoke with some of today’s inhabitants, they knew of him as a swindler then added “but he was very good to this village”.
The Dicker itself and much of his estate now forms the premises of a highly reputed school for 800 students –St. Bede School.
The dining room and reception are very much as they were in Horatio’s day and his stud house and stables all form part of the premises. 
The gardens and lake still there and the garden conservatory has been repaired to its original state by the school.
 I am grateful to Mr. John Berryman a teacher at St. Bede’s school who kindly loaned me a copy of the Auction (5th Oct 1937) Sale catalogue of The Bottomley Estate. The description of The Dicker gives an impression of how dominant and important his impact was on the village. The total area covered some 147 acres including over seventeen cottages and the Dicker gardens themselves comprised 15 acres. Stud House on the opposite side of the road was, a substantial property where his trainer lived and his racehorses were stabled.  The racehorses were sold along with the main house furnishings that included such items as suits of armour, oriental rugs a Chippendale suite of 14 chairs and settee, a silver service tea set weighing 430 ounces of solid silver, oil paintings many of which were by W & R Holyoake (his mothers family relatives), and a full-sized billiard table. Amongst his many talents he was also a professional standard billiard player, but as ever, he always cheated, so much so that friends used to insist the butler did the scoring. This harks back to the time he first made money in London at the age of 16 playing in the billiard halls. The gardens were superb with sweeping lawns from the roadside down to the lake he had had constructed. An island in the lake had on it a thatched roof house with cork walls and an exclusive telephone; the village itself at that time had no telephone and villagers were allowed to use the main house phone. There were avenues of varied trees, a heated summerhouse, a conservatory, vinery and peach house and tennis courts; another game at which he was a formidable player except that after every game he insisted on a glass of Champagne. The vegetable gardens were situated in front of the present day village store.
All bedrooms in the house had central heating and hot & cold water supplies from his private wells. Just below the house was his farm on which he built his gallops for training the horses. He so loved horseracing and betting that whenever friends came to stay, the gallops would be used as a racecourse complete with stadium and betting facilities. No money was spared for his property and land, even the gallops had the finest soil brought from far and wide and laid to ensure the best possible turf for his horses. Any properties nearby that represented an eyesore were purchased and either razed or rebuilt to his design then rented to the original tenants. Grass verges and trees were planted along the roads and open areas of land planted with fruit trees. Never one to underestimate his own importance – he managed to convince the railway proprietors to place a station as near as possible to his home as he was “always undertaking vital work for the government and country”. Berwick station less than two miles from the house was originally named ‘Bottomley’s Halt’. To Sum Up
The effect this man could have on people is summed up by a story I read about the family of an elderly relative were who berating him for losing money
on one of Horatio’s ventures. He replied;- “I lost £40,000 on one of his ventures and were he asking for some more I would give it to him. I have heard him speak and I will not hear a word against him.”
A Fitting Memorial
This extract from the Daily Mail in 1933 (29 May): On the death of Bottomley, reflected – “What opportunities he had, but how sadly they were wasted. His gifts were brilliant. He had personal magnetism and the power to convince. He might have been a leader at the Bar, a captain of industry, a great journalist. He might have been almost anything but for one fatal defect, known for the want of a better word as a ‘kink’ which misdirected his efforts” 
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