Robert Norman Bruce Lockhart (13 April 1920 – 20 February 2008), known as Robin, was a British journalist, stock broker, and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

Biography

Bruce Lockhart was the only son of

R. H. Bruce Lockhart Sir Robert Hamilton Bruce Lockhart, KCMG (2 September 1887 – 27 February 1970) was a British diplomat, journalist, author, secret agent and footballer. His 1932 book ''Memoirs of a British Agent''Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart, ''Memoirs of a Br ...

, a British diplomat, secret agent, journalist, and author. He was educated at Eagle House School and the

Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ci ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he served in British naval intelligence, and was stationed in Singapore, where he met and married his first wife, Peggy in 1942. After the War he pursued a career in journalism, working for the Beaverbrook Press in London, Manchester and Glasgow. He later became a stock broker, while continuing to pursue his literary interests. He lived in Sussex and France. Lockhart’s book, ''Ace of Spies'' (1967), recounted the career of the secret agent

Sidney Reilly Sidney George Reilly (; – 5 November 1925)—known as "Ace of Spies"—was a Russian-born adventurer and secret agent employed by Scotland Yard's Special Branch and later by the Foreign Section of the British Secret Service Bureau, the pre ...

, whose exploits with Lockhart's father in Russia in 1918 made headlines and appeared in the latter's ''Memoirs of a British Agent'' (1932). Robin Lockhart's book was adapted by

Troy Kennedy Martin Troy Kennedy Martin (15 February 1932 – 15 September 2009) was a Scottish-born film and television screenwriter. He created the long-running BBC TV police series ''Z-Cars'' (1962–1978), and the award-winning 1985 anti-nuclear drama ''Edge of ...

into the television

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

'' Reilly: Ace of Spies'' (1983), starring

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

as the title character, with

Ian Charleson Ian Charleson (11 August 1949 – 6 January 1990) was a Scottish stage and film actor. He is best known internationally for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell in the Oscar-winning 1981 film '' Chariots of Fire''. ...

as his father. Since the miniseries, the book has been republished periodically under the title ''Reilly: Ace of Spies''. Lockhart followed up with ''Reilly: The First Man'' (1987), in which he claimed that Reilly was never murdered by the Bolsheviks, but worked with them to plant the

Cambridge Five The Cambridge Spy Ring was a ring of spies in the United Kingdom that passed information to the Soviet Union during World War II and was active from the 1930s until at least into the early 1950s. None of the known members were ever prosecuted for ...

moles. Bruce Lockhart converted to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

. His book about the

Carthusians The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has its ...

, ''Half-way to Heaven'' (1985), came from his own experiences as a lay guest at St Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster. He subsequently wrote or edited two further volumes on the order. In 1995 he wrote a preface to a new edition of his father's ''Scotch: The Whisky of Scotland in Fact and Story''. Lockhart was then living in

Hove Hove is a seaside resort and one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove, along with Brighton in East Sussex, England. Originally a "small but ancient fishing village" surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th cen ...

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

. He said he had done much fishing in

Sutherland Sutherland ( gd, Cataibh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its county town is Dornoch. Sutherland borders Caithness and Moray Firth to the east, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire (later ...

, in the

River Oykel The River Oykel ( gd, Òiceall or , ) is a major river in northern Scotland that is famous for its salmon fishing. It rises on Ben More Assynt, a few miles from Ullapool on the west coast of Scotland, and drains into the North Sea via the Kyle ...

, Loch Stack, and Loch Craggie, and that after fishing he found that the local Glenmorangie whisky brought "a joyous, happy peace". A great-great-grandfather had owned the

Balmenach distillery Balmenach distillery was established in 1824 by James McGregor, from a family of farmers and illicit distillers who resided in Tomintoul. History Situated in the district of Cromdale on the banks of the River Spey the distillery stands in bene ...

, and about 1980 he had himself served on a

Which? ''Which?'' is a United Kingdom brand name that promotes informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services by testing products, highlighting inferior products or services, raising awareness of consumer rights and offering independen ...

panel, tasting malt whiskies. The ancestor in question was James McGregor, who in 1824 had taken out a licence for a distillery he had been working illicitly. Lockhart was married three times and had one daughter by his first wife. Lockhart died on 8 February 2008 in Brighton, Sussex. Probate was granted in the name of "Lockhart, Robert Bruce"."LOCKHART, ROBERT BRUCE died 18 December 2008, probate number 2984524" in Probate Index (England) for 2009

Books

*''Ace of Spies'' (1967),

Hodder and Stoughton Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette. History Early history The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged 14, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher ...

**Revised as: ''Reilly: Ace of Spies'' (1983), Futura, Macdonald & Co. **Revised as: ''Reilly: Ace of Spies'' (1992), Robin Clark *''Half-way to Heaven: The Hidden Life of the Sublime Carthusians'' (London: Thames Methuen, 1985) *''Reilly: The First Man'' (1987) *''Listening to Silence: an Anthology of Carthusian Writings'' (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 1997) *''"O bonitas!" Hushed to silence: a Carthusian Monk'' (Salzburg: 2000)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lockhart, Robin Bruce Robin British writers 1920 births 2008 deaths Graduates of Britannia Royal Naval College Royal Navy personnel of World War II