Memories of Schooldays with Philby’s daughters

I attended Whincroft School for Girls in East Sussex. There we were at school with Miranda, the youngest of the double agent Kim Philby’s daughters, in the same class as I was in; and Josephine, the older daughter, who gave me the love of acting in a higher class than I was in. I only met Kim Philby when he came to pick them up. That was in the days before his defection to Russia in 1963. And sadly didn’t meet his close friend Graham Greene, who worked with him. The school has now closed down. It was run by a charming lady and it is sad it is no longer with us. I am still in touch with some of the pupils.

It was an interesting time to be around as there was the scandal about the coming of the traitors and then Blunt joined the fray! I was too young to realise what was happening. Kim Philby was working with Graham Greene, together they were able to be “the third man”! And now, years after the death of both Philby and Greene, rumours are surfacing that Philby was actually a “triple agent” continuing to work for MI6 after his public defection to Russia. Unlikely? Who knows? But his daughter Josephine was an inspiration and I shall never forget her.

The Writer and the Traitor by Robert Verkaik (Headline £22) has just been published

Image above by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Save the Animals

We are unaware of what is going on in areas such as Vietnam and countries in that area. What is happening to animals in those areas? We are so concerned that these animals are kept in these revolting conditions and these are for months; young separated from their mothers and are left months in these conditions, for months! We must stop this and protect these endangered creatures, this needs a lot of people realising what is happening, SAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL animals!

Veronica Morris.

Fighting for a Better World

I wanted to say that the government have allowed “Round Up” is still available and promoted at our gardening shops, and these kill all the vegetation.

In the valley we are in you can see that the fields opposite our house has been sprayed all has died everything is dead, so sad to see, 

Now we should outlaw the sale of this poisonous substance, It has been in many countries, why not ours? I think working with Sheep dip was the cause of my MS - very many farmers have committed suicide as their lives would change so much. I would like to thank everybody that supported me on my wobble, Thank You,

Veronica Morris

Australian memories part one

 Well I have been recording my memories. And they start here:

Christmas 2024

 Well just as a catch up. this was my Christmas message for this year:

Angwinack

Ludgvan

Penzance TR20 8BN

+44 (0)1736 740269

 

Christmas 2024

 

 

We are both very happy in our Cornwall family home.

All goes well with our eldest boy Joseph and his wife Bernadeta in Dubai.

Loveday is still working with the Washington Post. She is still based in Berlin but I think she may be moving soon. She seems to still be reporting from Damascus at the time of writing.

Sam has an interesting job. Sam still continues to head up the US based Research Services Bureau internationally. He and his partner Leigha are doing well.

Our grandchildren in Dubai are fine, Florence enjoys her riding and loves horses. Paloma has taken to the piano. And little Gabriel the youngest is into fast cars and dinosaurs.

William has just come back from Iraq and has been given the all clear from his cancer.

And as for me, I am very involved with the church in Ludgvan and still doing my Pilates on Zoom. Our little dog Indi remains a joy.

The news from the Middle East remains challenging and I am very concerned with what’s going on there. William continues to work with the Next Century Foundation. God grant that next year will be more peaceful than 2024. The world deserves a moment to catch its breath.

Here’s wishing you a joyous Christmas. Much much love from us all in Cornwall.

Xxx

Memories of Australia

 I hitchhiked round Australia, and have MS now. I am so glad that I did not have it before I started as I was able to travel in so many places that I wouldn’t been able to get to now, but could do then!

Travelling round Australia, I suppose we had the chance go to the South Pole. But we didn’t.

Sadly I was supposed to travel with a friend, and she was meant to go with me, but did not turn up; but I met Irene in the airport and she became a great friend.  We both worked at adjoining cattle stations in The Kimberlies in The Northern Territories. I got around by hitching lifts with the Flying Doctors. Later we lost touch but I saw her again by chance at a bus station and we finished the rest of the trip together.

At one point I was hitching in Western Australia and the car I was in had an accident and I was thrown out and landed on my head. They took me to hospital. Later we went to a pub and they were all talking about the girl who was thrown out of the car and that was me. Anyway I lived to tell the tale.

But then my father was not that well, so we thought we should go home

Veronica                                                                                                                                              

Fighting back in the Amazon

Some are making a difference including:

• Nemonte in Ecuador

Amazonian indigenous activist, Nemonte Nenquimo, is living proof that a modern-day “David and Goliath” story is possible. When the Ecuadorian government announced it was going to auction off indigenous land to the highest bidder in the oil industry, Nemonte unified and led her people, the Waorani Nation, to victory in a landmark ruling, protecting 500,000 acres of rainforest from oil exploration and drilling. The lawsuit will go down in history as setting a precedent that indigenous peoples have the right to decide the fate of their territory. TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE