Churchill’s Angel – Nicoletta Maggi at Hatchards, Piccadilly
About this Event
In collaboration with the International Churchill Society Italia, we are delighted to welcome Nicoletta Maggi and Guy Dinmore here at Hatchards to discuss
Churchill’s Angel
Her name was Hazel Smith, but everyone called her Jicky. Whether it was a cover name or affectation, she never said. Born into a well-to-do family, she grew-up in Hertfordshire, enjoying the privileged life of a magnificent country house and domestic servants.
In Paris, Jicky worked for the British Embassy in those tumultuous days leading up to the outbreak of the Second World War, operating as an undercover agent playing an important role in the intelligence community for the SIS (MI6).
After war broke out, Jicky displayed extraordinary courage and suffered for her loyalty to the cause. At one point she was captured and tortured by the Nazis; she was pregnant at the time. Her partner was a member of the French resistance but she did not betray him, or her country.
Among her tasks, she used her previous education in graphology to decipher the personality of subjects under surveillance by means of handwriting analysis. One of her professors was a disciple of Jung, who trained her in the techniques of psychoanalysis for divining truth and lies. She was even an expert in homing pigeons, the unit known as MI14.
After the war, she moved to a small town in Italy taking her secrets with her, and her undiminished passion for life.
This is her story.
This event is being held in collaboration with the International Churchill Society Italia. It promises to be an absolutely fascinating evening, do come along if you can!
Guy Dinmore is a freelance journalist. He has contributed to the Financial Times and Reuters, and is the winner of The National Press Club's Foreign Press Freedom Award.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 5.00 to GBP 10.00
