Review: Secret Servants of the Crown by Claire Hubbard-Hall

Synopsis: To the un-discerning eye, they were secretaries, typists, personal assistants, and telephonists. But those innocuous job titles provided the perfect cover for what were in reality a range of complex technical, clerical, and occupational roles. Often overlooked and underestimated by outsiders, the women of British intelligence encoded, decoded, and translated enemy messages, wrote propaganda, and oversaw agents, performing duties as diverse as they were indispensable.

One of those women was Kathleen Pettigrew, super-secretary to three consecutive Chiefs of MI6, the secret foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, and widely regarded as the inspiration for author Ian Fleming’s Miss Moneypenny. Serving her county loyally for four decades, Kathleen amassed a formidable knowledge of people and events. From the surprise apprehension of World War I courtesan spy Mata Hari to the unmasking of MI6 officer Kim Philby, the ‘Third Man’ of the Cambridge spy ring, Kathleen created, organized, and archived an empire of top-secret information.

Though most women toiled in offices and backrooms, there were also agent-runners and agents, prized for their ability to hide in plain sight. Drawing on extensive research and unique access to family archives, Claire portrays many of these remarkable figures—including the brilliant, multi-lingual Lunn sisters, glamorous spy Olga Gray; and Jane Sissmore, MI5’s first female officer— and reconsiders the priceless contributions they made.

In a field where women were often assumed to be little more than window-dressing, Miss Moneypenny reveals their multi-faceted, essential roles, offering a powerful and compelling testament to their many accomplishments.

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"... a silent witness who helped shape historical events, 

she served her country unseen and unnoticed ..."

This, to date, summed up the role of women in the secret service and their forgotten contribution to British Intelligence. These women, behind the typewriters, were the keepers of secrets; and many took those secrets with them to the grave.

In this tome, historically rich in detail, Hubbard-Hall uses one of these women - Kathleen Pettigrew - as an anchor with which to set out the history and role of these women. Whilst their roles varied, from secretary, typist, agent, passive to active, their contributions, as documented, were nothing short of extraordinary.

This is a must read tome - and not just for those interested in the study of women's history, but for those interested in the overall history of British Intelligence and espionage, especially in those whose roles in the early days helped shape the services into what they are today. I myself will be delving back into this book and taking a more closer look at those Hubbard-Hall has brought to the fore.

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