Close your eyes and think of England

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Close your eyes and think of England

Meaning

A reference to unwanted sexual intercourse.

Origin

This is supposed to be recorded in the 1912 journal of Lady Hillingdon:

"When I hear his steps outside my door I lie down on my bed, open my legs and think of England."

That is widely repeated in various reference texts, but without access to the source document it has to be counted as speculative. If it is indeed accurate then we can also speculate that the good lady's forbearance wasn't frequently tested. She was married to Charles William Mills, second Baron Hillingdon, who had retired from active business life five years prior to this journal entry, owing to ill health. The couple had three children.