A Second Hand Memory of Denis and Margaret Thatcher

Listening to John Sergeant talking about Mrs. Thatcher and her fatal legacy, I'm prompted to write about a tale I heard probably about twenty-five years ago.

At the time I was working in Ipswich with Metier Management Systems and was invited to lunch by Reg Mayes, who at that time was the Development Office for the Borough Council. There were three of us at the table, the third being someone who was not a lover of Mrs. Thatcher!

I don't know how it happened but the third guy made a derogatory remark about Denis Thatcher. What he said I can't remember! Now at the time, Ipswich was very much a stronghold of traditional labour, so you would have thought that Reg would have shared the sentiments.

His reaction was quite different. 'Denis Thatcher was the best boss I ever had!'

Talked about stunned silence all round!

Reg then told how Denis had been his boss at ICI Dyestuffs in the 1950's. He told of how he chivied and cajoled salesmen with charm to do their best and how he'd been to the West Indies and Denis had been to South Africa. He felt that Denis's views on race were certainly not as portayed in the media, as he had been less than complimentary after that trip.

Lots more stuff than I can remember.

But Reg did think that Margaret Thatcher was Denis's ultimate creation. All he'd done is listen, watch, suggest and gradually iron out faults, just as he did with anybody who worked with him.

It may be that I haven't got this quite right as it was quite a time ago.

But it was a very interesting insight into what made Denis and Margaret Thatcher tick.

Remember too, there is also Neil Kinnock's reply when asked by Cliff Morgan on Radio 4, on how he put up with an idiot like Denis, when he got lumbered with him at a parliamentary gathering. Kinnock was interesting in that he said something like. 'I'm a Welshman and a great fan of rugby. Denis Thatcher has been a first-class rugby referee. So we talk and argue about it.' It was not the reply that had been expected and showed a lot of warmth must exist between the two men.

Perhaps Denis Thatcher was one of the most misunderstood people of the twentieth century.