Genealogy Chat

Hi it would appear my Great Grandfather was involved in the secret service early 1900. Does anyone know what it was called then and if there is a register. Nothing sinister as far as I know. My grandfather did change his surname though and has a fictitious name for his father on my grandparents wedding certificate

Hi

Thank you. My Great Grandfather received postcard messages from several different people - different hand writing - with very cryptic messages written in several different languages. Sometimes there was more than one language on a postcard. The ones that I have seen are dated 1911.

I Will check to see if I can find a service record for him. I do not know of any naval connection so must be army pre WW1

Have you used google to try to find info?

I have tried but may be I am not asking the right question. I found the Kings Messengers but this did not really seem to apply. I will keep asking in a different format

Try The National Archives, then Records and Security History. I found this by putting UK Secret Service Personnel Records into Google.

Because it is the Secret Service, though, a lot of the records are not open to the general public.

Hi Andysmum

I will give that a try.

many thanks

You *are* outside the 100 year rule, so you do have a good chance of getting them opened to you.

Would the Imperial War Museum be able to advise, do you think?

Hi tried the national Archive but did not have any luck. They do have a section for personnel - hardly surprising! Will give the Museum a try.

Many thanks

Should have said they do NOT have a section for personnel. As my grandfather was only 45 in 1911 he could have worked past that date which means the 100 year rule would apply.