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John Bingham, 7th Baron Clanmorris
John Michael Ward Bingham, 7th Baron Clanmorris (3 November 1908 – 6 August 1988) was a one time MI5 counterspy and an English novelist who published 17 thrillers, detective novels, and spy novels. Personal life Bingham was the son of Arthur Bingham, 6th Baron Clanmorris, and Mowbray Leila Cloete. He was educated at Cheltenham College, and married Madeleine Mary Ebel, daughter of Clement Ebel, on 28 July 1934. His wife worked for the security services and was a playwright and biographer. Bingham fought in the Second World War with the Royal Engineers, and was attached to the General Staff. He succeeded as 7th Baron Clanmorris on 24 June 1960. Background During the Second World War and for two decades after 1950, Bingham worked for MI5, and had long been said to be the inspiration for John le Carré's character George Smiley. In 1999, le Carré confirmed that Bingham had been an inspiration for Smiley and went further in 2000, writing in an introduction to a reissue of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath ( ) is a town in West Sussex, England, south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and northeast of the county town, Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, Crawley northwest and East Grinstead northeast. With a decently small number of jobs available in the immediate vicinity, mostly in the agricultural or service sector, residents work remotely or commute daily via road or rail to London, Brighton, Crawley or Gatwick Airport. Etymology The first element of the place-name Haywards Heath is derived from the Old English ''hege'' + ''worð'', meaning hedge enclosure, with the later addition of ''hǣð''. The place-name was first recorded in 1261 as ''Heyworth'', then in 1359 as ''Hayworthe'', in 1544 as ''Haywards Hoth'' (i.e. 'heath by the enclosure with a hedge'), and in 1607 as ''Hayworths Hethe''. There is a local legend that the name comes from a highwayman who went under the name of Jac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Spectator
''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject areas are politics and culture. Alongside columns and features on current affairs, the magazine also contains arts pages on books, music, opera, film, and TV reviews. It had an average circulation of 107,812 as of December 2023, excluding Australia. Editorship of the magazine has often been a step on the ladder to high office in the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. Past editors include Boris Johnson (1999–2005) and other former cabinet members Ian Gilmour (1954–1959), Iain Macleod (1963–1965), and Nigel Lawson (1966–1970). The former Conservative MP Michael Gove took over from Fraser Nelson as editor on 4 October 2024. Today, the magazine is a print-digital hybrid. In 2020, ''The Spectator'' became the longest-live ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Third Skin
''The Third Skin'' is a 1954 thriller novel by the British writer John Bingham.Reilly p.121 It was released in the United States three years later in 1957, published by Dodd Mead with an alternative title An alternative title is a media sales device most prominently used in film distribution. Books and films are commonly released under a different title when they are screened or sold in a different country. This can vary from small change to the ... ''Murder Is a Witch''. References Bibliography * Reilly, John M. ''Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers''. Springer, 2015. 1954 British novels British thriller novels Novels by John Bingham Victor Gollancz Ltd books {{1950s-thriller-novel-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Married Life (2007 Film)
''Married Life'' is a 2007 American period drama film directed by Ira Sachs. The screenplay by Sachs and Oren Moverman is based on the 1953 novel ''Five Roundabouts to Heaven'' by John Bingham. Cast members include Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper, Rachel McAdams and Pierce Brosnan. The novel was also the basis for the December 20, 1962 episode of ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' entitled "The Tender Poisoner". Plot In 1949, successful middle-aged businessman Harry Allen (Chris Cooper) is having an affair with considerably younger war widow Kay Nesbitt (Rachel McAdams). Feeling rejuvenated by his emotional reawakening, he confides in his best friend Richard Langley (Pierce Brosnan) and encourages him to visit his mistress to alleviate her loneliness. Richard complies and immediately finds himself attracted to the young woman. Richard discovers Harry's wife Pat (Patricia Clarkson), oblivious to her husband's ongoing tryst, is engaged in an affair of her own with John O'Brien (David Wen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965, it was renamed ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour''. Hitchcock himself directed only 17 episodes during its run. By the time the show premiered on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades. In the 21st century, ''Time'' magazine named ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' as one of "The 100 Best TV Shows of All Time". The Writers Guild of America ranked it #79 on their list of the 101 Best-Written TV Series, tying it with '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. In 2021, '' Rolling Stone'' ranked it 18th on its list of 30 Best Horror TV Shows of All Time. History ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is well known for its title sequence. The camera fades i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Five Roundabouts To Heaven
''Five Roundabouts to Heaven'' is a 1953 thriller novel by the British writer John Bingham. It was published in the United States by Dodd Mead using the alternative title ''The Tender Poisoner''.Reilly p.121 It was his second published novel following his debut '' My Name Is Michael Sibley'' the previous year. Adaptations In 1962 it was adapted for an episode of the ''Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' television series starring Dan Dailey and Jan Sterling entitled ''The Tender Poisoner''. In 2007 it served as the basis for the film '' Married Life'' starring Rachel McAdams and Pierce Brosnan Pierce Brendan Brosnan (born 16 May 1953) is an Irish actor and film producer. He was the fifth actor to play the fictional secret agent Portrayal of James Bond in film, James Bond in the List of James Bond films, James Bond film series, starri .... References Bibliography * Reilly, John M. ''Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers''. Springer, 2015. 1953 British novels British novels adap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
My Name Is Michael Sibley
''My Name Is Michael Sibley'' is a 1952 mystery thriller novel by the British writer John Bingham John Armor Bingham (January 21, 1815 – March 19, 1900) was an American politician who served as a Republican representative from Ohio and as the United States ambassador to Japan. In his time as a congressman, Bingham served as both assis ..., his debut.West p.54 Michael Sibley is suspected by the police of murdering John Prosset who he had known since schooldays, and with whom he had a complex relationship. References Bibliography * West, Nigel. ''The A to Z of British Intelligence''. Scarecrow Press, 2009. 1952 British novels British thriller novels Novels by John Bingham Novels set in England Victor Gollancz Ltd books {{1950s-thriller-novel-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sunday Dispatch
The ''Sunday Dispatch'' was a prominent British newspaper, published between 27 September 1801 and 18 June 1961. It was ultimately discontinued due to its merger with the ''Sunday Express''. History The newspaper was first published as the ''Weekly Dispatch'' in 1801, and was owned in the mid-1800s by notable solicitor James Harmer, who served as a model for Jaggers, the Charles Dickens character from '' Great Expectations''. The newspaper's name was changed to the ''Sunday Dispatch'' in 1928. In 1903, the Newnes family sold the paper to Alfred and Harold Harmsworth. The new owners then turned it around from bankruptcy and into the biggest selling Sunday newspaper in Britain at the time. Due to editor Charles Eade's role as Press Liaison officer for Lord Mountbatten during World War II, distribution of the ''Dispatch'' was up from 800,000 to over 2 million copies per edition in 1947. In 1959, Eade and the editor of the ''Daily Sketch'' were fired due to a comment from Ran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maxwell Knight
Charles Henry Maxwell Knight , known as Maxwell Knight, (9 July 1900 – 27 January 1968) was a British spymaster, naturalist and broadcaster, reputedly a model for the James Bond character "M". He played major roles in surveillance of an early British Fascist party as well as the Communist Party of Great Britain. Background Knight was the son of Hugh Coleraine Knight, a solicitor, and his wife, Ada Phyllis (née Hancock). He was christened in Holy Innocents Church, South Norwood on 3 August 1900. Career Military He saw service during the First World War. Having been a naval cadet, he was appointed to the temporary rank of Midshipman in the Royal Naval Reserve on 2 May 1918.The National Archives, reference ADM 240/49/4. In July 1918 he attended a hydrophone officers' course, and in August served for a short time as First Class Hydrophone Officer aboard the trawler, ''Ninus''. On 1 September 1918 he was appointed to the armed merchant cruiser, HMS ''Andes''. In December 1918 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Roberts (spy)
Eric Arthur Roberts (18 June 1907 – 17 or 18 December 1972) was an MI5 agent during the Second World War under the alias Jack King. By posing as a Gestapo agent and infiltrating fascist groups in the UK, Roberts was able to prevent secret information from finding its way to Germany. Roberts continued to work for the British security services after the war, particularly in Vienna, but it was a time of great anxiety in the services because of the suspicions surrounding double agents such as the Cambridge spy ring. Roberts never felt completely accepted by MI5 because of his social background, and a desk role did not suit him as well as his wartime role had. He is the subject of the biography ''Agent Jack'' (2018) by Robert Hutton, and his adventures were the inspiration for the novel ''Our Friends In Berlin'' by Anthony Quinn and for a major character in the novel ''Transcription'' by Kate Atkinson. Background Roberts was born in Wivelsfield, East Sussex, in June 1907, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fifth Column (intelligence Operation)
Fifth Column was the name MI5, the British Security Service, gave to a World War II operation run from 1942 until at least 1947. It was initially intended to identify people who would be willing to assist Germany in the event of an invasion of the United Kingdom, but as it developed, it also acted to divert its targets away from harmful activities. Although it ended up providing information on more than 500 suspects, it was the source of conflict within MI5, and after the war ended it remained secret, with none of the targets ever aware that they had been its subject. It was revealed in a release of files to the National Archives in 2014. Personnel The operation was run by the counter-sabotage section of MI5, designation B1c. The head of this small section was Victor Rothschild, who had joined MI5 in 1940 to do scientific liaison. He was assisted by Theresa Clay, an entomologist whom he'd recruited. The agent at the heart of the operation was Eric Roberts, a former bank clerk who ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The National Archives (United Kingdom)
The National Archives (TNA; ) is a non-ministerial government department, non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its parent department is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the official National archives, national archive of the UK Government and for England and Wales; and "guardian of some of the nation's most iconic documents, dating back more than 1,000 years." There are separate national archives for Scotland (the National Records of Scotland) and Northern Ireland (the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland). TNA was formerly four separate organisations: the Public Record Office (PRO), the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, Historical Manuscripts Commission, the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) and Office of Public Sector Information, His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). The Public Record Office still exists as a legal entity, as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
