Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence

Drawing on private and previously classified documents, this definitive history of women's contributions to the intelligence services is the first authoritative account of the hidden female army of clerks, typists, telephonists, and secretaries who were the cornerstone of the British secret state across two world wars and beyond.

A must-read for fans of A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE by Sonia Purnell and THE SISTERHOOD by Liza Mundy.

To the undiscerning 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.