Real Xandra

The review (17 July) of Adam Sisman's Hugh Trevor-Roper: The Biography refers to his wife Xandra as being imperious, uneducated, tactless, snobbish, coming over as a fright and prone to gas.

By The Newsroom

Published 19th Jul 2010, 18:11 BST

Updated 19th Jul 2010, 20:38 BST

I can only say that the single time I visited her in her Melrose home in 1978 in connection with my book Devolution: The End of Britain? I found Xandra warm-hearted, well-informed and good-natured, without a trace of snobbery.

She boasted of only one item - her jelly, made from white- currants in her garden. Adam Sisman has written an insightful and fascinating book.

TAM DALYEL

Linlithgow, West Lothian