Archaeology And Espionage: The Secret Political Life Of Professor Vere Gordon Childe

Professor Vere Gordon Childe (1892-1957) is one of the most influential figures of 20th century archaeology. But his political life remains enigmatic. Security Service files kept on Childe reveal that he was a dedicated left-wing political activist kept under prolonged observation by M15 for his Communist affiliations. This talk will offer fascinating insights into his life and contemporary attitudes to radical politics and thought in Britain.

We are proud to present a new set of events that delve into the shadowy realms of espionage and intelligence gathering. This season we will be looking at ho w intelligence was collected during the First World War and how a nation’s secrets are ultimately protected or betrayed by the will and whims of individual personalities.

We run an exciting range of events and exhibitions on a wide variety of topics. For more details, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/whatson. 

Entrance to The National Archives is free and there is no need to book, see nationalarchives.gov.uk/visit for more information.