Brandreth holds on to the past – in a dedicated room

GYLES BRANDRETH has disclosed he has a dedicated room in his home to house his hoarded mementos in 8ft-tall cardboard box towers.

The broadcaster, writer and former Conservative MP admitted he had been keeping various items, such as tickets and menus, since he was young.

The 73-year-old has a dedicated room at home full of 8ft-tall cardboard boxes to hold the huge collection.

“I keep everything”, Brandreth told Cotswold Life magazine. “Every train ticket, every menu.

“I’ve been keeping a diary since 1959 and I’ve got a room that is [huge], full of boxes that are 8ft high.”

Brandreth says the room is so big and full of hoarded items in boxes that people would gasp.

The collection of mementos helped Brandreth write his 2021 memoir, Odd Boy Out.

He said: “I keep a diary because I quite like talking to myself. I think, too, that writing it makes me more aware of what is happening to me and what’s happening in the world.

“I’ve preserved my diary for more than 60 years. I now encourage my grandchildren to keep diaries, too. Jan 1 is a good day to start your diary – and you don’t need to write much.”

The former City of Chester MP shared some of his diary notes from 1960, when he was 12, in his blog.

On Sunday Jan 3, he wrote: “Carol service at St Stephen’s. I had a reading, Genesis chapter 3, verses 8 to 15.

“It wasn’t easy because the word ‘bruise’ was in the last sentence TWICE and I say ‘bwuise’ when I want to say ‘bruise’. Never mind.

“TS Eliot was there and told me that I read very well!

‘I’ve been keeping a diary since 1959 and I’ve got a room that is [huge], full of boxes that are 8ft high’

“I told him that I am going to learn his poem ‘Macavity the Mystery Cat’ by heart. He was pleased. He put his hand on my head. I like him and he likes me.”

Two weeks later, on Jan 21, he documented his first encounter with rugby.

“Played my first game of rugger,” he wrote. “It was quite fun but rather cold.”

And nine days later, he wrote: “Had first cello lesson with Mr Reid. Not very good. He is old and serious.

“He wears a wig. You can see that it’s a wig because of the very clear parting right down the middle. It looks as if it is going to fall off.”