Downing Street,
LONDON, S.W.1.
Brambledown,
Melton Drive,
STORRINGTON,
Sussex.
29th January 1970
FC 14/1 長い
pa
141.
Dear Mr. Dales,
I am writing, rather than speaking to you by telephone, so that you will
have time to obtain for me an official reply.
Attached is a cutting from last night's Evening News and the relevant
parts are underlined. For over two weeks I have been in touch with the
press, T.V. and people in
'high places'. Sympathy but no response. Has the Evening News given me
the reason?
Yours sincerely,
Martin Kepple
M. Kepple.
Į Lad telephone
4
word with the Keppel
and
that it
but ar
pokäy
0
аксился
仗
to keep quiet abat the detained P. S., -
China! O! the contrary
ser
we
weu
Hyry very
land &
publicity for Mh. Martin
за сай
Malin 4/2
13
---
to
The spy who got a
TODAYS
confirmation
that four Polish diplomats have been ordered out of Britain for spring
uncovers one laughable result of Government polley of
חי.
jali quiet woout such DRURIA DE four of dis tung trade relations.
A
+++
WIT
À BUS TOP¤- out. tlu:
De Pelit pal offenders
t huid w da
when a member of
royal farewell
H
help to yet their side of the war over to the public." says Mr. Rice.
н
The number of Arabe 18 sa emill in conipat..on that they pred us to pub
over their ferk ings and perhaps sain some sampathy. The Arabs have case
that the puble should least hear.""
JOHN
LONDON
L
lay.grd.
TOMOS
Prince
Amenz Michael of Kent, who who per- suaded to pose for a goodbye
photgraph with the Pole-Col Combow "Tamanu ar parkstent defer
nurhe...and his mile Spet Prisen 3 chuel on on the in store alad of the
Đ. By Miputty be purubly knew more than he emid reveal orer the saw age
ročk, althouch 1 doubt whether Cal Tanapa w mind when he sticks the
bholenat n his family album.
ENTERTAINMENT
Indeed The Pales serm to almost totally Inzendtie
Last night they retaliated le the gentlemanly" expulsion of part apies
by Topena kicking Three Britih diplomats
a thout even bothering to make cha zer matins them.
Funan Omice. apart from re easing the barest" de DNA a all remaining
stent. And the Housing Minister, Mr Anthony Greenwood, MEAN-
waatte is entertaining the Pulzh Hasina M.a. ter. Mr Ciezna
it seenis that the omir dies result
theirs
5 -
1
L
ካ
An unlikely
trio
TONY PALMER, who was hotly involved in a row with the BBC over his Peter
Sellers dim ve cently will have another of bis
די
Prince Michael of Kent with Col. and Madama Tanana at the Polish Embassy
reooption.
todav. yearold M. "but I can't be amid to have been kicked
1 RA
* Bal under contract to them to mate three more fine.
"I don't expect to be offered JAY
H
His relat ons with Peter Better are also atra.red. "Not no bad as with
the BBC. but I see that dim as a year of my life down lay un, 1 KIJA
never work with Bellers again!
The Jack Bruce ilm was EN
under way before the Ballan d'anasta
of pilots on the employmŁONE market last year followhip the closure of
Bigle Airlines led to BEA shortening its demand for new men,
Kempt to now moving Upwards. Again, though. The Aar the college, which
is æt Hamble in Hampshire, experis to turn out 150 qustibed Burns.
Thanks-200
times
THE QUEEN MOTHER WI be in the Tate position of hosten as a non-palace
party early next month. She lý g*- Ing it at the:Baroy lo exlebrain he
200th win as a racehorse
owner.
Her guests will include her trained Pater Cazalet
And Jotkey David Mould.
The Queen Molber's ANE tane vlepime came at Fontwell Park in 1919. Her
300th was recorded at Worcester Tart
+
4
1
L
+
I
T
From The Minister of State
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
11 February, 197Q
(12).
-
FEC
Michael Stewart has asked me to deal with the letter which you have
received from Mr. M. Kepple about the continued detention in China or
his aunt, Lurs. Constance Martin.
14/1
One must regretfully agree with Mr. Kepple's remarks that the press and
television have lately shown themselves rather less helpful than they
might have been in stimulating publicity on this and other cases.
Approaches made to the Chinese mission by members of the families or
other detainees have, in spite of advance notice given to the press, met
with as little publicity as lir. Kepple's.
In casting around for some more effective means of working up press and
television interest in the case, Mr. Kepple appears to be thinking in
terms of some action by you yourself, as his Meriber of Parliament,
which would be bound to attract more attention than the family's own
efforts unaided. We should be happy to see more publicity emcrging
though not (as I am sure you will understand) of the kind that could be
construed by the Chinese to be the result of official initiatives could
only prejudice krs. Martin's chances of an early release. Any public
Loves or statements you and Mrs. Kartin's family felt able to make in
the hope, as
Captain Henry Kerby, MP,
House of Commons,
3.W.1.
-
this
/Mr. Kepple
}
+
1
T
Mr.Kepple says, of keeping the pot boiling, would have our sincere
support.
(SHEPHERD)
н
(1020) DA. 391599- 1,200% 2/69 Ha
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
FEC 141
Registry
No.
ORITY CLASSIFICATION
DRAFT Letter
To:-
Top Secre
Secret.
411
Confidential
Restricted.
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
Captain Henry Kerby, MP, House of Commons +
London, S.W.1.
Type 1 +
From
Lord Shepherd
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
In Confidence
MY. Godden
K 17
(195)
Mushant Sint
The Seeretary of State has asked me to deal with
the letter which you have received from Mr. M. Kepple
born-
concerning the continued detention in China of his
aunt, Mrs. Constance\Martin.
our files.
We have kept a copy for
One must regretfully agree with Mr. Kepple's
remark that the press and\television have lately shown
themselves rather less helpful than they might have
been in stimulating publicity on this and other cases.
Approaches made to the Chinese hission by members of
the families of other detainees have, in spite of advance
notice given to the press, met with as little publicity
as Mr. Kepple's.
In casting around for some more effective means
of working up press and television interest in the
case, Mr. Kepple appears to be thinking in terms of
some action by you yourself, as his Member of
Parliament, which would be bound to attract more
attention than the family's own efforts unaided. We
should be happy to see more publicity emerging though .
not (as I am sure you will understand) of the kind that
could be construed by the Chinese to be the result of
official initiatives
-
this could only prejudice
Mrs. Martin's chances of an early release. Any public
moves or statements you and Mrs. Martin's family felt
able to make in the hope, as Mr. Kepple says, of
/keeping
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
WEBL 51-3406
keeping the pot boiling, would have our sincere
support.
4/6 yo
れ
HOUSE
OF
COMMONS
10th February, 1970
Fee 14
14/1
2. S€
FE
dra
pleas
Jean Michael
✓
OL seen
M
Lord Shepherd
A constituent of mine came to see me in great distress last Saturday
about the disappearance of her brother from Shanghai.
Mr. William McBain aged 78.
He is
I gather he has lived a great deal of his time in China and was formerly
associated with one of the shipping firms. Beyond the fact that he was
arrested by the Chinese police, no one seems to know the reason for his
arrest or what has happened to him.
I think the Eastern Department know all about the case, but I would be
grateful if you could give me any further information that I could pass
on to his distraught sister.
Jus
Charles matladassa
The Rt. Hon. Michael Stewart, C.H., M.P.,
Foreign Office,
Downing Street,
S.W. 1.
Flag A.
·FEC
.
14/1
+
Godden
I attach a draft reply from Lord Shephard to a
letter from the Rt. Hon. Julian Anery, M.P., about the
detention of Krs. Martia in China.
2. Mr. Amery encloses a letter he has received from
Ers. Kartin's sister, Mrs. Hargreaves, asking for
Xr. Amery's support in seeking publicity for her sister's
plight. To have been in regular touch with Mrs. Hargreaves'
nephew and have encouraged the fasily to seek publicity in
the hope that concern for their international image night
persuade the Chinese to release Mrs. Kartin. It is
apparent that Mrs. Hargreaves' letter is a direct result
of our encouragement, and I have indicated this in confidence
to Mr. Anery in the draft.
3.
Lord Shaphed is familiar with the background to
Mrs. Kartin's case.
(C. Tilson)
5 February, 1970.
No
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
------In Confidence
DRAFT
Letter
To:-
The Rt. Hon. Julian Amery, MP,
HOUSE OF COMMONS,
S.W.1.
Type 1 +
From
Lord Shepherd
Telephone No, & Bal
Department
Thank you for your letter of 16 January enclosing
a letter from your constituent, Mrs. Hargreaves, about
her sister, Mrs. Martin, who was arrested in October
by the Chinese security authorities in Shanghai.
As Mrs. Hargreaves implies, we have been in close
touch with Mrs. Martin's relatives in this country since
her arrest for an unspecified "crime"
We are
especially concerned about Mrs. Martin in view of her
age (she is seventy-two) and have made persistent
efforts both in London and in Peking to impress upon
the Chinese our grave concern at her arrest and to
obtain consular access and information about her case.
I myself summoned the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires on
19 December and spoke to him in the strongest terme.
Despite these representations the Chinese have failed
to respond.
We have discussed the situation with Mrs. Martin's
relatives and have encouraged them to seek publicity for
Kra. Martin's plight in the hope that, as Mrs.
Hargreaves puts it, the Chinese may be shamed into
releasing Mrs. Martin. We have taken similar action
with the relatives of Mr. William McBain, another aged
resident of Shanghai who was arrested at the same time
as Mrs. Kartin. We hope that if the Chinese become
convinced that their international image has been
/ adversely
IN CONFIDENCE
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
CONF
نادي الافران IN COM
adversely affected by the publicity given to
their outrageous behaviour towards these two
old people, they may decide to release them.
probably
I think that it is/re. Hargreaves' intention
to enlist your support in stimulating
publicity. Anything you can do to publicise
Mrs. Martin's plight would be most helpful.
I need hardly add that we should be
grateful if you would not disclose the fact
that we are encouraging the relatives to
seek publicity since this might adversely
affect Mrs. Martin's chances of release if it
came to the notice of the Chinese.
IN CONFIDENCE
L
3/1
Dear the wilson,
RESTRICTED
Elin.
and resubmit-
BRITISH EMBASSY
STOCKHOLM
6 February 1970
VED IN
RY No.50
о
réciali
Would you please refer to Guidance tel.no. 4 of 6 January. about Mrs.
Martin and Mr. McBain,
2.
Martin Cederlund our Information Officer,recently SOW Mr. Ulf Brandell,
the Foreign Editor of Dagens Nyheter in order to persuade him to make
some reference to these unfortunate people in his newspaper, which is
one of the major Swedish dalies. Mr. Brandell said that he did not feel
that he could comment on these cases as they had never been made public.
Furthermore, he did not believe the Chinese would be impressed by what
Dagens Nyheter, or indeed any other foreign newspaper, were to say.
3. He did however, suggest that he might persuade Mr. Sundfeldt, the
Head of the Foreign Ministry Press Department to write to Mr. Berner,
First Secretary of the Swedish Embassy in Peking, with the aim of
getting the latter to intervene with the Chinese. Apparently, Mr. Berner
can speak very freely to certain members of the Chinese Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. The Information Officer while expressing thanks for
this offer said that we would first like to make certain that Mr.
Brandell's proposed action would not cross any wires.
4. It would clearly be quite improper for us to agree to Mr. Brandell's
proposed action without instructions as clearly this would amount to a
proposal for diplomatic intervention, albeit of an informal kind,
5. We would therefore be grateful for guidance as to whether you would
like this suggestion followed up. Alternatively, you might wish to ask
our Mission in Peking to tackle Mr. Berner on the spot.
C. Wilson, Esq.,
Far Eastern Department,
your
sucichy, Saturn Starchion.
(Miss P. M. Hutchinson)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, S.4.1.
RESTRICTED
C 3/1
Jean
O'Leary,
CONFIDENTIAL
vaca 2/2.,
··minute
sus.
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION,
RAWALPINDI
27 January, 1970
British Subjects detained in China
Would you please refer to Guidance telegram No. 4 of
7 January about the treatment of two elderly British Subjects, Mrs.
Connie Martin and Mr. William McBain who were arrested by the Chinese
authorities in October 1969 and about whom the Chinese have declined to
give us any information.
Poats were asked to consider ways of stimulating publicity for the
plight of these two detainees.
2. We at first thought that it might be useful to refer to the detention
in the next issue of British Review and of our two venacular
publications, Aina and Darpan, but because we are aware of Pakistani
sensitivity about any attack, real or implied, on the Chinese, we
thought it would be wise to let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs know
informally what we were about. I told the new Director for China that
the inhuman treatment of such elderly people deserved some publicity and
we had made a very great effort to deal with the Chinese through normal
diplomatic channels. I said that we were not asking the Government of
Pakistan to intervene on behalf of the detainees but naturally would be
delighted if they could suggest any way of securing information about
Chinese intentions towards them.
3. After a 24-hour delay the Director asked me to call to discuss my
approach and said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would much prefer
that we did not stimulate publicity in this country by way of our
official publications. Speaking frankly, he told me that the Chinese
were excessively touchy about any reports circulating within Pakistan
which could be construed as anti-Chinese. He said that he had discussed
the problem with his Director General and that it seemed to them that we
could best bring the plight of the detainees to the notice of
influential people in Pakistan by arranging for the story to be carried
in the major English newspapers and weeklies (he suggested specially The
Times and the Economist) which are widely read in Pakistan. He said that
he doubted in any case whether publication in British Review and the
vena cular publications would achieve our objective and said that
although he was not making an official request for us to refrain from
publication, he hoped that we would recognise Pakistan's difficulties,
T.D. O'Leary, Esq.,
South Asian Department,
F.C.O..
London S.W.1.
CONFIDENTIAL
/5.
صم
8
CONFIDENTIAL
X
5. I said that we would take note of the views of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs but that we would have to decide for ourselves the best
way of stimulating the Chinese into taking action. I asked whether the
Government of Pakistan would be willing to make some enquiries in Peking
on our behalf but fr. Choudhry replied that he doubted whether his
superiors would be willing to act in such a way for the reasons which he
had already outlined. However he did agree that if their Embassy in
Peking heard anything about Mrs. Martin and Mr. McBain, they would let
us know immediately. He went on to say that his Director General had
been most interested to learn that there were still nine British
Subjects detained or believed to be detained in China as they had
thought that all had been repatriated following the release of Mr. Grey
last autumn.
6. These exchanges were interesting because they demonstrate the
pathological fear of the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
offending the Chinese. They do not mind admitting this to us openly.
However we think that Mr. Choudhry's observation that publication of the
story in British Review, etc., would not reach the influential people in
Pakistan at whom we are aiming is relevant and for this reason rather
than to spare Pakistani susceptibilities we have decided not to publish
any written release. We would therefore be grateful if you would let us
know as soon as the story is released to the newspapers in the United
Kingdom so that we can bring it to the attention of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs at the first opportunity. Needless to say we shall do
our very best to ensure that the story is spread orally amongst the
local diplomatic community and the newspaper world.
7. I am sending a copy of this letter to James Allan in Peking.
c. c.
R.H. Young, Esq., Karachi R. Fox, Esq., O.B.E., Dacos P.R. Oliver,
C.M.G., Lahore
Yours ever.
вал.
CONFIDENTIAL
(D.M. March)
+
Reference
--ו
CONFIDENTIAL
Haker
Mr. Walker
2/2
Mr. Wilson (Far Eastern Dept.)
Wileń
FEC 14
14/1
BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN CHINA
J
March
I think that the attached letter (Mr. Hennings' C 3/1 of 27 January)
should be entered with Far Eastern Department and I should be grateful
if they would take the action requested in para. 6.
2. Could you point out, if replying by letter, that Mr. O'Leary has left
this department.
Ejusutertent
(I. J. M. Butherland)
8. Asian Dept. 2 February, 1970
no-
Sume
Marsh
uf
X. Hor
dearly Heard in ot
what Mu the sling
slang nota Bitish pass
14.3/2
7
Me Dolar
Regiony
Presenter, and astmen early
Mss. on
on McBain (Martin.
PR. 31ü
CONFIDENTIAL
3/2
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON, S.W.I
30/1/20
Dear Hewart, URGENT
I shall be grateful if you will give the
enclosed communication from.........
Mr Ms
KEPPLE your attention
and send me a reply which I can forward to
my constituent
2 Star of
3.
FE
enɛ
Please acknowledge.
has not 3
for
draft reply tomarond Sharphand
Hewny knky
The Ritston Mtremort. af
H.C91B (329762X2) 2m St.S.
Capt. Henry Kerby, M.P.,
Hobbs Farm House,
Bilsham Cnr.,
Brambledown,
Melton Drive,
STORRINGTON,
Sussex.
29th January 1970
Yapton,
ARUNDEL,
Sussex.