270:
that
Liversidge had used the alias "John Stone" and had been involved in a fraud in New York City. The New York police had shown no interest in pursuing the matter through extradition. The Statement also claimed that Liversidge was an "associate" of Van Lighten, and alleged that he was involved, with a Leon Nussbaum and an interned German national named Richard Markus, in dubious dealings in
281:... he is completely unscrupulous and it may be that he has been recently concerned in acts prejudicial to public safety, although we have no direct evidence of this ... we submit that in view of the valuable information which he possesses it is essential in the interests of security that his detention should be continued.
269:
Liversidge's lawyers demanded particulars of these associations, but were refused. The more detailed
Statement of Case asserted that Liversidge had "a very bad record," and referred to the Baumgart case and the Canadian passport application. It then alleged, on the word of the informant from 1937,
94:
Liversidge returned to
Britain in 1936, and became a wealthy and successful businessman. He legally changed his name to Liversidge in September 1937. However, his return was brought to the attention of the police by an informer and, although the arrest warrant from 1928 had been withdrawn in 1933,
232:
in return for payment of £500 (about £17,700 at 2003 prices). Thwaites was implicated, Liversidge was investigated, and the falsehoods about his birth were revealed. Liversidge was arrested on 26 April and charged with making a false statement. His flat was searched and the names of other persons
253:
recommending that
Liversidge be interned because "I am certain that you will agree that it is most undesirable that a man with the unsavoury and indeed dangerous associations of Perlsweig, who during recent months has had access to information of a most secret character, should be left at large
339:
filed a defence that he was lawfully detained under an 18B order. Liversidge then filed an application that the Crown disclose the grounds upon which the order was made, pleading that the
Reasons for Order were insufficient. The application was dismissed by the
298:. He admitted the falsehoods on his passport application and his use of the alias "John Stone," but denied any fraud or association with Van Lighten. There were testimonials to his good character and an appearance by his fiancée, Clare McCririck. She and
599:
368:
On 9 November 1941, six days after the House of Lords issued its ruling, it was decided that there were no longer compelling reasons for
Liversidge's detention. Liversidge was released on 31 December. Liversidge then joined the
688:
60:, London, one of five brothers and three sisters. He left school at the age of 14 and drifted before becoming involved in financial services. In July 1928 two of his associates, David and Dore Baumgart, were
228:. In early 1940 MI5 received intelligence that "three notorious Jew swindlers" were using "improper pressures brought to bear in High Places" to effect the release of internees from a camp at
80:
was issued for him, but it was never executed. He subsequently admitted that he had become involved with some dishonest people, but he always denied being guilty of any wrongdoing.
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708:
703:
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The committee reported on 15 October. Its members were clearly troubled by the case, but deferred to the imperatives of a
Fighter Command fully stretched by the
683:
241:
There seems to have been no evidence that
Liversidge had "hostile associations" or had committed "acts prejudicial" to public safety. However, on 15 May the
91:
and misstating his date of birth. He eventually managed a
Hollywood recording studio, meeting a minor actress, Wanda Stevenson, and marrying her in 1936.
103:
600:"Report of the Tribunal appointed to inquire into Allegations reflecting on the Official Conduct of Ministers of the Crown and other Public Servants"
718:
698:
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known to the intelligence services were discovered. When he was interviewed it came to light that
Liversidge had previously been Jack Perlsweig.
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in September 1939, using the false date and place of birth that he had used when obtaining his Canadian passport. He was commissioned
713:
649:
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and was viewed with suspicion by the intelligence services as possibly a German agent. Liversidge himself provided secrets to the
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7. The said Liversidge was associated from time to time with Germans and with those associated with the German Secret Service.
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endorsed the decision on 11 December, probably after being canvassed by his fellow Labour MP Bevan. Simpson has alleged that
83:
Some time before 1931 he adopted the name Liversidge (the married name of his eldest sister). In 1931 he applied for a
373:. After the war he became hugely wealthy through his continued business dealings. In 1948 he was called before the
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381:, but he was exonerated of any misconduct. Until his death he remained bitter about his wartime treatment.
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in wartime. The application for disclosure was refused and Liversidge's internment was confirmed.
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Liversidge's business activities brought him into contact both with people involved in the
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had been an intelligence officer in the First World War and had become a prominent
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on Liversidge on 2 October alleged "hostile associations" only in count 7:
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In the Highest Degree Odious: Detention without Trial in Wartime Britain
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from 1916 to 1918 and later worked in political intelligence in the
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On 10 October Liversidge appealed against his detention before the
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in which Liversidge was also alleged to have been involved. An
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on 26 November 1939, and served as an intelligence officer in
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309:. They recommended detention with review on 4 December 1941.
224:, which had been imposed at the start of the war, authorised
130:, who had worked in intelligence in New York City during the
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Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
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and with people who held views sympathetic to fascism.
56:immigrants to Britain from Russia. He was born in
30:. He was also a reputed spy and the subject of a
352:, joined with an appeal from another internee,
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22:(11 June 1904 – 30 September 1994), formerly
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694:People detained under Defence Regulation 18B
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87:in that name, claiming to have been born in
709:People from the London Borough of Haringey
254:either in the Service or in the Country."
48:Liversidge's parents, Asher Perlsweig, a
704:English people of Russian-Jewish descent
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95:his Canadian passport was confiscated.
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501:"Consumer Price Inflation since 1750"
36:as an internee in Britain during the
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499:O‘Donoghue, J.; et al. (2004).
684:20th-century British businesspeople
644:. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
158:was a Canadian spy. Van Lighten, a
138:, chaired meetings for the fascist
348:, and the case was brought to the
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188:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
719:Civil Defence Service personnel
178:Liversidge volunteered for the
699:Naturalized citizens of Canada
186:in September 1938 and for the
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398:Date of death per Ancestry.ca
126:during the Second World War.
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640:Simpson, A. W. B. (1992).
344:, as was an appeal to the
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243:Secretary of State for Air
134:and had recruited the spy
317:influenced the decision.
277:The Statement concluded:
20:Robert William Liversidge
714:Royal Air Force officers
142:and was an associate of
174:In the Second World War
364:Release and later life
327:Liversidge v. Anderson
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257:The Reasons for Order
222:Defence Regulation 18B
24:Jacob (Jack) Perlsweig
371:National Fire Service
144:H. W. Luttman-Johnson
100:intelligence services
70:conspiracy to defraud
28:intelligence services
331:Liversidge sued for
162:, had tried to join
152:Scottish nationalist
106:was associated with
272:industrial diamonds
182:at the time of the
16:British businessman
333:false imprisonment
292:Advisory Committee
247:Archibald Sinclair
216:RAF Bentley Priory
156:William Stephenson
52:, and Sarah, were
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606:. Retrieved
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251:Home Office
237:Allegations
114:had been a
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385:References
354:Ben Greene
342:High Court
294:headed by
286:Internment
226:internment
206:, then in
168:War Office
66:Old Bailey
44:Early life
562:p.340-341
337:the Crown
200:RAF Wyton
120:Petrograd
58:Harringay
160:Dutchman
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89:Toronto
64:at the
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321:Appeal
259:served
245:, Sir
54:Jewish
603:(PDF)
72:over
62:tried
50:rabbi
646:ISBN
610:2021
442:IMDb
335:and
214:and
202:and
180:army
68:for
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