Norah Briscoe facts for kids
Norah Constance Lavinia Briscoe (1899–1995) was a British woman who tried to give secret information to Nazi Germany during World War II. In 1941, she was found guilty of breaking wartime rules and was sent to prison for five years.
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Early Life and Interests
Norah Briscoe was born Norah Davies in Wirral, Cheshire, and grew up in Liverpool. When her mother had triplets, Norah went to live with her aunts. She felt a bit left out, and her time at a convent school made her feel even more so.
In 1925, she married Reginald Briscoe, who worked for the government. They lived in Kingston on Thames. Sadly, Reginald passed away in 1932.
Norah then started working as a journalist, writing articles for different publications. In 1934, she traveled to Germany. She wrote about her time there, saying it felt like a peaceful place. She noted that people could follow any beliefs they wanted, as long as they also supported the leader, Adolf Hitler.
Norah's Son and the Hitler Youth
While in Germany, Norah became very interested in National Socialism, which was the political system of Nazi Germany. She was so impressed that in 1936, she decided to leave her only son, Paul, who was born in 1930, with a German friend named Seppl Sauter.
Paul grew up with the Sauter family in Miltenberg, Germany. He received a German education and even joined the Hitler Youth. This was a youth organization in Nazi Germany that taught young people Nazi ideas.
When war in Europe seemed likely in 1939, Norah did not try to bring Paul back to Britain. When Britain declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939, Paul was still in Germany and could not return home.
Joining Pro-German Groups
Norah Briscoe joined the British Union of Fascists (BUF), a political group in Britain that supported ideas similar to those in Nazi Germany. She was a leader for the BUF in Bournemouth.
She was also a member of the Right Club. This was a secret society that supported Germany, founded by Captain Archibald Maule Ramsay, a Member of Parliament.
Wartime Actions
In early 1941, Norah Briscoe was living with Gertrude Hiscox in Chiswick, London. Gertrude was also a former member of the BUF and shared Norah's pro-German views. They were both part of the Right Club.
Norah worked as a typist at the Ministry of Supply starting in January 1941. This government department was very important during the war. It was responsible for making sure the British armed forces had all the equipment they needed.
Sharing Secret Information
In March 1941, Gertrude Hiscox invited a member of the Right Club to her home for tea. What she didn't know was that this person was actually a secret agent working for MI5, Britain's security service. He was watching the activities of the Right Club members.
During their conversation, Norah Briscoe told the agent that she was working in a sensitive part of the Ministry. She admitted that she was keeping copies of documents that she thought would be helpful to Germany. She wanted to pass these documents on.
These secret documents contained information about where war factories were located, what important materials were in short supply, and where new submarine bases were being set up in Northern Ireland.
Arrest and Trial
The MI5 agent arranged another meeting. Norah Briscoe and Gertrude Hiscox handed over the secret documents at a flat belonging to someone they thought was a German agent. At that moment, both Norah and Gertrude were arrested.
They appeared in court on March 17, 1941, and were sent to Holloway Prison.
On June 16, 1941, Norah Briscoe and Gertrude Hiscox had their trial at the Old Bailey court. The trial was held in private, meaning only those directly involved were allowed to be there. They both admitted they were guilty of trying to give information that could help the enemy. The trial was very quick, lasting less than an hour. Both Norah and Gertrude were sentenced to five years in prison.
After her release from prison, Norah Briscoe was immediately placed under a special order that restricted her freedom.
Life After the War
After World War II ended, Norah Briscoe was reunited with her son, Paul, in the summer of 1945. She lived with him for the last 30 years of her life. She passed away in 1995.
See also
- Leonard Banning
- Gertrude Hiscox
- Tyler Kent
- John Lingshaw
- Dorothy O'Grady
- Pearl Vardon
- Anna Wolkoff
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