letter, and for your efforts,
and the efforts of the Foreign office, on behalf of my brother, Eric
Gordon and his family in Peking.
I suppose you have not yet received any news of them. ?
When someone from the British Mission in Peking, is allowed, by the
Chinese, to see my Brother and his family, do you think that a short
message could be given to them,? If they could please tell Eric and
Marie that their Mothers,
(and also their other relatives), are keeping well, we would be very
grateful. (AND ALSO IF POSSIBLE END LOVE FROM
"MOTHERS & ALL RELATIVES,← REGARDS FROM FRIENDS Eric, particularly, will
be anxious about mother, and how she is taking this, as`she is elderly,
and a worrier, and Eric might be afraid that she is making herself ill
worrying about him. As it happens, mother has managed to keep well, and
- -
HAVE
CONTINUA KLY
FROM THEIR
MOTHER THAT SBC
is in good health.~(~ +FAMILY WOULD NOT BE HARMED BY THE CHINESE. OF
INESE
AS
NE
COURSE, WE COULD NOT BE SURE; ALTHOUGH, FIR. GREY SEEMG) TO RE
Fric and Marie must be under enough strain without
ALRIGHT
having to worry about their mothers as well.
We would all be very grateful if this message could
possibly, please, be given to them.
Thank-you very much indeed.
Yours sincerely,
A.
Gordon (MISS.) ·
A. Gordon. (Miss).
اسلام
HOUSE
COMMON
+
EE.D.10
enter
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON, S.W.1
22nd July,1968
Consula
Me to
Polyp
02317
I shall be grateful if you will give the
enclosed communication from...Jeffrey Gordon
71, ertford Road, 1,2, your attention
and send me a reply which I can forward to
my constituent.
RECEIVE
IN
ARCH
21
24 JUL 1000
Please acknowledge.
Ben Whitaker il Ben Whitaker
аю
At,How, Michdel Stewart, E.F.,
Foreign Secretary
RECEIVED IN
**CHIVES N. 31
-1 AUG 1968
Fe 1/42
H.C.918 (305227) 1 SM St.S.
TuDer 8697
Dear Mr. Whittaker,
FIVED IN
MUM.VES N.HERTFORD ROAD -1 AUG 1968 EAST FINCHLEY
FEI LONDON, N. 2.
پتا
16.7.68.
andwicent by
write t
the whereas
tracing ERIC
9
Mr.
John
Mendelson
yesterday
the
quistion of
Chinc
7
brother ERIC GARDEN
mya
on KIM(aged (2) in Je towary
ROAD N.W3.
his wife MARIE, and their
Before they left for Peking
1945, they
livet
WILLOW
and
constituents.
your
brother
the
G
in
Peking
Forang Panguages Perseny loved by
phonseologul polisher. In
words he
Marie Gordon,
Chine
publications.
sister-in-law, "The Chinese students
taught Renglish
college at the end
wrote that
at
they
Patria.
October, 1467
about to
set off for England. Since then,
+
+
આ
+
+
2
a
period of NINE MONTHS, nothing
been heard
from them. British Chargé d'Affaires
The
in Peking
rezescitation Ministry,
at the Chinese rege Munity but
repeatedly Rebuffed. Which
both families I have The Chinese Legation in
Q!
the
member of
bea to
London
the
The
responsal
engines
tol
theis
letters at
for occasions, but has been met following people
there have been no
again
negative.
Wave made
China but
replies to
all: PROFESSOR J. NEEDILAM
(CAMBRIDGE), PROFESSOR FITZGERALD (AUSTRALIA) EX- DEAN OF CANTERBURY'S
WIFE, LAWRENCE DALY / SCOTTISH MINERS), I. BRADLEY (N.U.J.)
THE
OF
A. E.U. SECRETARY OF
IS
E
THEIR MEMBERS
PARLAMENT DISCUSSING POSSIBILITIES
APPROACH, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL,
LORD BERTRAND
RUSSELL WROTE TO
writté several times
CHOU EN LAI (NO REPLY). howe.
9
+
3
every possible authority in
whatsoever. For instans Ele
As
Chin, but
there thave licen
xaplico
have
monition to
$
Chaman Mar.
to
Chri
Chon ka Lai, Chinen Forage Minning, Foreign Languages Press Frindshop
Hostel (
1965
Strmy
m
ستار
if
Wik
thing live it from tod (Det., 1967), Ammer Louisa
and
would appreciate it
Mr.
way
Mr. Margaret Thatcher (M.P.
- to whom I
for my
writing,
could
disass
مديرية
possibilities of appoad to the
whinch
Gordon
authorities
གྱི་ཐུག
the approaches.
lead to the raining
being tracent
may China
Chin bain
Joffrey Gordon (JEFFREY GARDON)
1
F.E.D
240
r
.
*39
Written Answers
M JULY 1968 Governmen. stating in each case the denomination of the
church.
Mr. Mulley: No Embasy Churches are maintained or partially maintained
maintained by Her Majesty's Government.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Mr. Frool's a¬ked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he
is aware of the large scale movements of Soviet military forces in the
neighbourhood of the Czechoslovakian herder: and if he will raise the
matter in the Security Council of the United Nations as a threat to
international peace.
Mr. Goronwy Roberts: We have seen official announcements by the Soviet
Union on 23rd and 25th July of military and air defence exercises in
We-tem Russia. The answer to the second part of the Question is No.
BRITISH SUBJECTS, CHINA (DETENTION)
Mr. Whitaker asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what
informa- tion he has concerning Mr. Gordon, a British subject, and his
family in China.
Mr. Foley: On 1st February Mr. Gordon's relatives in England informed us
that the family had been due to leave China in early November but that
no news of them had been received since then. On 3rd February the
British Mission in Peking were instructed to ask the Chinese authorities
for assistance in discovering the family's whereabouts; this request has
since been repeated at frequent intervals but no reply has been
received. As enquiries in Hong Kong and elsewhere have revealed no trace
of the family, we are obliged to conclude that they have been detained
in China. The British Chargé d'Affaires in Peking will continue his
efforts to obtain informa- tion from the Chinese authorities.
VISA-FREE ENTRY (DISCUSSIONS)
Dr. Gray asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will
initiate discussions with the Governments which distinguish for purposes
of visa-free entry between United Kingdom issued in London and those
issued else- passports
34 Z IJ
26.768
239 w
769
Written AntDUCER
where, with a view to securing the aboli- tion of such dispactions,
Mr. Foley: When negotiating visa abolition agreements with othe. Govern-
ments. Her Majesty's Government aim at cbtaining visa-free entry for as
many United Kingdom nationals as possible. It is, however, only to be
expected that 01he- Governments will be reluctant to grant visa-tree
entry to United Kingdom national who have no guarantee of ad- mission to
the United Kingdom itself. The ability of Her Majesty' Government to
secure the abolition of distinctions of the kind referred to is clearly
restricted by the terms of the Commonwealth In- migrants Acts of 1962
and 1968.
PASSI ORT-OFFICE (REVIEW
OF PROCEDURE)
Mr. Judd asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he
will estab- lish a committee to review the exercise by the Passport
Office of its discretion concerning the issue of passports in Lon- don
to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies.
Mr. Foley: In so far as applications to the Passport Office by active
supporters of the illegal régime in Rhodesia are concerned, the matter
is already covered by the arrangements outlined in the state- ment
circulated on 27th June by my right bon. Friend the Sceretary of State
for Commonwealth Affairs. Considera. tion is being given to the
extension of the review procedure to the refusal of pass- ports to
citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies unconnected with Rhodesia.
The result of this consideration will be announced in due course.- [Vol.
767, c. 126-130.]
BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (JIFBREW
SERVICE)
Mr. Alexander W. Lyon asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
whether he will make a statement on the future of the British
Broadcasting Corporation Hebrow Service.
Mr. Foley: A careful review has re- cently been made of the Hebrew
Service in the light of the need to ensure that, in existing
circumstances, the funds available for information work are spent
RECEIVED IN
¦ ARCHIVES No.31 30 JÚL 1968
Fa/42
لستا
1
DL154229 Op.863
FZ 1/42
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION
for WRITTEN answer on
F.E.D.
The draft reply should reach the Parliamentary Office through your
Under-Secretary by
49
107
Mr. Ben Whitaker (Hampstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, what information he has concerning Mr. Gordon, a British
subject, and his family
in China.
26th July, 1968
MR. MAURICE FOLEY
On the 1st of February Mr. Gordon's relatives
in England informed us that the family had been due to
leave China in early November but that no news of them
had been received since then. On the 3rd of February
the British Mission in Peking were instructed to ask the
Chinese authorities for assistance in discovering the
family's whereabouts; this request has since been
repeated at frequent intervals but no reply has been
received. As enquiries in Hong Kong and elsewhere have
revealed no trace of the family, we are obliged to conclude
that they have been detained in China. The British Chargé
d'Affairs in Peking will continue his efforts to obtain
information from the Chinese authorities.
Previous References
Flag A
Parliamentary Question by
29 May, 1968
Kr. Eldon Griffiths
Flag B
Adjournment Debate
13 June, 1968
Flag C
Foreign Affairs Debate
18 July, 1968
Mr. Wilkinson
Parliamentary Office
CONFIDENTIAL
CEIVED IN
Jö8
FZ1/Z
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION BY MR. BEN WHITAKER
26th JULY, 1968
We first learned that the Gordon family were in diffi-
culties from an enquiry made by Mr. Gordon's brother on
1 February. (The Gordone have at no time been in touch
with our Mission in Peking.) He informed us that the family
had been due to leave China in early November and that no
news had been received from them since October. As the
family were regular correspondents, their relatives in this
country were seriously concerned. We have received confir-
mation from Hong Kong that there is no record of the family
having passed through the Colony. On 3 February, our Mission
in Peking asked the Chinese authorities for assistance in
discovering the family's whereabouts. Further formal
requests for information have been made at 4 6 week inter-
vals. It is the Mission's practice also to make informal
enquiries by telephone weekly. No reply has been received
from the Chinese.
CONFIDENTIAL
../ 2 ..
CONFIDENTIAL
2.
A French resident of the "Friendship Hostel" told our
Mission on 19 Hay that he had seen Mr. Gordon and his family
at the hostel "within the last few weeks" where they had
appeared for about one day only. They then appeared to be
under no form of restraint. Since then we have heard nothing •
3. We understand from Mr. Gordon's brother that he had made
extensive notes with a view to writing a book about China
after his return home. The xenophobia and "spy mania" current
in China as a result of the Cultural Revolution would make
the possession of such notes sufficient justification in
Chinese eyes for Mr. Gordon's detention. Another possible
reason why Mr. Gordon might be in difficulties is that he was
connected through his work with a Chinese leader now in
eclipse. The chances of finding out more about the case are
unfortunately alight.
4. I attach a draft reply and a list of previous Parlia-
mentary references.
employed by the
Даши гламу
(James Murray)
25 July, 1968.
Mi Anden was
Freign Languages Pren
Peking
Bhathensc
25/v11.
CONFIDENTIAL
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
DEPARTMENT
Fer/42
4:
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION PRIORITY MARKINGS
To: Secret Saree Confidental
Emergency Immediate
Briority
Restricted Unchasified
Routing
* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should
reach addressco(s)
2
(Date)
Despaloned
3717
1600
CYPHEN
Confidential.
Emretair
Lunic
Cypher
Draft Telegram to
No.
(Date)
'771°
And to:-
Security_classification
[Codeword-if any).
Addressed to
telegram No.
And to.....
26/7 repeated for information to ...
Sarping 10
Repeat to:-
(date).
-------2-
GORDON Gordon
Miss A. Gorbon, Enna Gordon's
H
Şiring 10:-
Sister has
written
to
The Parliamentar
Unico Sectekan asking that
A
message
1810/0
26
2.5
IF BY
be passed to her brother of my
any
Distributions
Filis
FED.
Copies to:-
羽って
chance you
Doram access to him.
soming that the mothers of
Enc and
Marie and men me
felatium ade
are keeping well and
Send their love and fliems send
regards
༡༠
L
[3]
Ed (3084)
Mr Derry
M. Murray
し
Reference.....
то най
46
Ent
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31
30 JUL 1968
Mr Eric Gorda Fe 1/42
I attach Grizeft draft replies to those letters conconing Mr. Eric
Gordon. We have photocopies of the enclouses,
2. I attach also daft telegram, which does
not need to be submitted.
Mark A. Hall
25/7
a
Kieglum
Telegram
sent
Вадстрани.
Jom Denmar
Denson
:
L
1
4:
Private Secretary
RECFIVED IN
L
ARVIS No.31
29 JUL 1968
F21142
Flag A
Mr. Eric Gordon and Family
I attach a draft reply to Kr. David Watkins, M.P.
letter of 9 July which enquired about Mr. Eric Gordon and
his family, whom we believe to be detained in China.
The draft follows closely the terms of the letter
sent by Mr. Rodgers to the Rev. The Lord Soper.
The
background of the case is covered in my submission of
There have been no developments since
2.
Flag G
Flags C
1 May and 28 May.
and D
then.
Munay.
(James Murray)
22 July, 1968.
45
مساجد
Entour
MAA
י
Fur/42
44
23 July, 1968
Thank you for your letter of 9 July about
Mr. Eric Gordon, whom we believe may be in
detention in china. I am returning the
correspondence you enclosed.