Roderick Spode of Totleigh Towers, head of the Black Shorts
in The Code of the Woosters, secretly designs ladies' underclothing under the
trade name of Eulalie Soeurs, of Bond Street—knowledge
of which renders him harmless to Bertie, whom he despises,
distrusts, and often threatens with violence. Cf. Sir Oswald
Mosley, 1930's leader of the British Union of Fascists. An
eloquent public speaker, Spode is founder and head of the
Saviours of Britain, a mob of underlings wearing black shorts
who shout "Heil, Spode!" or words along those general lines.
His idea, if he doesn't get knocked on the head with a bottle
in one of the frequent brawls in which his followers indulge,
is to make himself Dictator. A club acquaintance of Tom Travers,
he becomes seventh Earl of Sidcup on the death of
his uncle in Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit, exits Eulalie Soeurs, and some time
thereafter disbands the Black Shorts. About eight feet high with
a small moustache and the sort of eye that can open an
oyster at sixty paces. His aunt, Mrs. Wintergreen, is engaged
to Sir Watkyn Bassett in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves. He himself is engaged to
Madeline Bassett in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves and
Much Obliged, Jeeves, where he suspects
Bertie of trying to alienate her affections.
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