fco-21-45-whereabouts-of-eric-gordon-and-family — Page 8

Dear Sir and Brother,

A question has been raised on our District Committee relative to the
whereabouts of Mr. Eric Gordon and his family, who are apparently
detained in China.

In view of the fact that Mr. Gordon was active in the Trade Union and
Labour movement in Manchester, the Chairman accepted a resolution to
request Executive Council to raise this matter with the A.E.U. Members
of Parliament.

In view of the fact that our M.P.8 no doubt havé some details of this
problem, it may not be necessary for me to supply you with a great deal
of detail, but we would appreciate this matter being raised with our
M.P...

Yours fraternally,

ester

District Secretary

AMALGAMATED UNION OF ENGINEPRING & FOUNDAY WORKERS

HOUSE

OF

From : Mrs.Margaret Thatcher, M.P.

Ackd

COMMONS

18/7

Hot. Tilley

17th July 1968.

Not som

Sen by M. Mullay

Consular Dept. for

a

draft reply from M.

Foley.

DOM 18/U11

I enclose a letter I have received from my constituent, Mr.Jeffrey
Gordon, regarding his brother, Eric Gordon who, with his wife and twelve
year old son, are still in China and appear to have been missing for
nine months.

I would be grateful if you could let me know whether there is any way in
which your Department can help to trace this family.

Чело

مسد

Эйсе

Taran. Thalita

Пачал

The Rt.Hon. Frd Mulley, M.P.

Foreign Office.

S.W.1.

سود

hole

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

22 JUL 1968

FC

12

HERTFORD RD,

RECEIVED IN

Tudor 869

ARCHIVES No.31 EAST FINCHLEY

- 1 AUG 1968

LONDON, N.2

FL1/42

16.7.68

9

writing to

Dear Ms. Thatelle,

you

in

the hope that in some way

Be

you may

where a tonis im

ERIC

theis

they

to

able to trace the

China of my

brother

GORDON, his wife MARIE, and

KIM (aged 12).

were about

At the end of October, 1967, wrote that they set off for England from
Peking. Since then

.

period of NINE months, nothing has been

from them.

heard of

when the British Chargé d'affaire in Peking make representations at the
Chinese Foreign Ministry he is repeatedly reluffed. Since January,

have been to the

beam to the Chinese

TIME

Legation in London," that the

+

+

2

response

negative.

has been completely

brother worked for the

My Languages Press in Peking

a diting publications, and my sister in four taught English at

C

college in

Peking quite naturally I have written

great member of people all sorts of organisations in

to

and

Britani

صه

well

There have been

: to

ง

י

every

abroad.

as

replies at all

in Peking, is

conceivable authority written to

Charman Mao, Chou en Lain, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Foreign
Languages Press, the

Friendshyi Hostel where they lived from Feb., 1965 to Cart.

before they

1967,

were due to set off

homes the following

The following people

had

have

repies to their letters:

+

:

I

1

3

LORD BERTRAND RUSSELL To CHOU ENLAI, DR. J. NEEDHAM (CHAIRMAN OF
S.A.C.U).

THE OPPOSITE NUMBER OF THAT ORGANISATION IN PEKING, PROFESSOR FITZGERALD
(AUSTRALIA) TO PEKING, LAWRENCE DALY (SCOTTISH MINERS)

To

THE

EX- DEAN

CHINESE

9

CHINESE LEGATION In London OF CANTERBURY'S WIFE то

LEGATION, J

J. BRADLEY (N. U.J) saw Mr. John

in the House of

and he

advised me

Mandelson

to write to

Commons yesterday,

and Mr. Ben Whittaker, my

yooother and

sister-in-law's M. P.

12

su

and

the

grested that

you,

M.P. Mr. Whittaker

could

discuss the whole

matter

and plan possible actions

to help trace the Gordons in China.

Your very sincerely, Jeffrey Gordon (JEFFREY GORDON)

1

4

I

+

Cornea dept for dust Reply by Sof S

F.E.

Amalgamated Engineering Union

PARLIAMENTARY GROUP

Chairman :

FRED LEE, M.P.

David Watkins,

Hon. Secretary:

CHABLES DANNELI, M.P.

Rt. Hon. Michael Stewart, M.P.,

July 9th, 1968.

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,

Foreign Office,

Downing Street,

S.W.1.

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

15 JUL 1968

Fel/42

Your Michael,

The Executive Council of the AMALGAMATED UNION OF ENGINEERING AND
FOUNDRY WORKERS (sorry, I haven't got the new letter headings yet) have
asked their parliamentary Group to make enquiries of the Foreign Office
on behalf of Mr. Eric Gordon.

Apparently he, his wife and his son have

been detained in China.

I understand that you are fully acquainted with the details of this
case, and I would be grateful for any information you could let me have
about it.

Yours sincerely, David.

David Wetkins.

All communications should be sent to the Honorary Secretary at the House
of Commons, London, S.W.1

pa

lm

Methodist Church

Kingsway Hall London WC: Telephone 01-405 3246

Superintendent Minister

Then The Lord Soper MA PhD West London Mission

RECEIVED

ARCHIVES No.3

20 JUN 1968

Ful42

Circuit Stewarda

Mr Malcolm Spencer FPS

Prof Arthur Smalles

MA Dut

18 June 1968

Kingsway Creche

St Luke's House

St Mary's House

Grove House

Alfred Hartley House

Emerson Bainbridge House

Goodliffe House

Fellowship House

Katherine Price Hughes Hostel Hopedene

WLM Clothing Store

Nr. William Rodgers, M.P.,

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

Rect. 19/6

38

7.ED.

Dear Mr. Rodgers,

Thank you so much for your letter of the 14 June, regarding the Gordon
family, who may be under detention in China.

I am most grateful to you for taking the trouble to reply at such
length, and I trust that all your efforts to establish some information
about this family may prove successful.

With kind regards.

Yours sincerely,

Soper

M. Skolad M Murray

Au 21 Jun

enter

20%

FE/142.

Foreign Office London S.W.I

From The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

14 June, 1968.

39

Du Mex Mr Garden.

Пе

32

I am writing to thank you for your letter 27 May to the Prime Minister
about your son Eric.

I am afraid that there is very little that I can add to my letter of 5
June. We are still pressing for confirmation of the report I mentioned
and shall naturally contact you as soon as we hear any more news. We are
also of course still in close touch with you son Jeffrey.

Sicesh

Lion Rodger

کچھ

William Rodgers

Mr. and Mrs. S. Gordon,

22 Westbourne Gardens,

HOVE,

SUSSEX. BR 3.5PP

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry

No.

FC1/42

DRAFT

Letter

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

To

Top Secret.

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassifed.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

Mr. & Mrs. S. Gordon 22 Westbourne Gardens,

Hove,

Sussex. EN 3.5PP

Type 1+

From

Mr. Rodgers

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

Flag

I am replying

for letter of 27 May

to the Prime Minister about your son Eric.

I am afraid that there is very little that

can add to my letter of 5 June. We are still

pressing for confirmation of the report I

mentioned and shall naturally contact you as

soon as we hear any more news. We are also

of course still in close touch with your son

Jeffrey.

Mus" vi

F21/42:

From The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Foreign Office

London SW1

14 June, 1968.

38

!

1

י - י ד ני -

L

Thank you for your letter of 29 Hay about the Gortion family, who we
believe may be under detention in China. You enclosed a letter from Mr.
Gordon's sister,

Miss Antta Gordon, which I am returning withthis letter. We have kept a
copy for our files.

I am afraid that there is little that you can do to help the Gordons at
present. We are in constant touch with Mr. Gordon's brother, Mr. Jefirey
Gordon, and I have myself written to his mother and father án other
members of his family. The facts are more or less as Miss Gordon
describes them. Mr. Gordon: worked for the Chinese Government in the
Foreign Languages Press in Peking and lived in the Friendship Hostel.
This is a hotel for foreigners who are sympathetic to the Chinese
Government. Reither he nor nis family were in touch with our Mission in
Peking and it is consequently extremely difficult for us to find cut
anything about them. Moreover the Mission, as you will be aware, work
under considerable difficulties in any case.

L

We have been doing all we can to outain some positive information about
the Goutions. Wo made formal approaches to the Chinese authorities in
Peking on 3 February, 12 March, 25 March and on 4 May in an effort to
find out whether the Gordons are in fact under

detention. I have also hade requests for information to the Chinese
Chargé d'Affaires a interim most recently on 24 May. The Chinese have so
lur responded to none of these approaches.

The only evidence of any sort which we have is a- report from a foreign
resident of the Friendship Hostel, who recently told & member of our
Mission that Eric Gordon

The Reverend The Lord Soper, M.A., Pil.D.,

Superintendent Minister,

West London Lission

Methodist Church.

Kingsway Hall, V.j.2.

/and his

LT

2

and his family reappeared some weeks ago for about a day, apparently
under no form of restriction. This .. report is so far unconfirmed; but
we are doing our best to find corroborative evidence.

+

I am sorry that I can only give you such a tentative reply. But I know
you understand the problems involved.

William Rodgers

ו'

+

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

DRAFT FC 1/42

Letter

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

To:-

Top Secret.

Secrct.

Confidential

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

"Is Confdance

The Rev. The Lord Soper,

West London Mission, Kingsway Hall, London, W.0.2.

Superintendent Minister,

38

Type I +

From

Mr. Rodgers

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

Thank you for your letter of 29 May about

the Gordon family, who we believe may be under

detention in China You enclose a letter from

Mr. Gordon's sister, Miss Anita Gordon which I

am returning with this letter. We have kept

a copy for our filea.

I am afraid that there is little that you

can do to help the Gordons at present. We are

in constant touch with Mr. Gordon's brother,

Mr. Jeffrey Gordon, and I have myself written

to his mother and father and other members of

his family. The facts are more or less as

Miss Gordon describes them. Mr. Gordon

worked for the Chinese Government in the

Foreing Languages Press in Peking and lived in

the Friendship Hostel. This is a hotel for

foreigners who are sympathetic to the Chinese

Government. Neither he nor his family were

in touch with our Mission in Peking and it is

consequently extremely difficult for us to

find out anything about them, Moreover the

Mission, as you will be aware, work under

considerable difficulties in any case,

We have been doing all we can to obtain

some positive information about the Gordons.

We made formal approaches to the Chinese

authorities in Peking on 3 February, 12 March,

25 March and on 4 Hay in an effort to find

out whether the Gordons are in fact under

/detention

detention. I have also made requests for

information to the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires

ad interim most recently on 24 May. The

Chinese have so far responded to none of

these approaches.

The only evidence of any sort which we

have is a report from a foreign resident of

the Friendship Hostel, who recently told a

member of our Mission that Eric Gordon and

his family had reappeared some weeks ago for

about a day, apparently under no form of

restriction.

unconfirmed;

This report is so far

but we are doing our best to

find corroborative evidence.

I am sorry that I can only give you such

a tentative reply.

But I kun ym

You will however

understand the problems involved.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

14.6

Mr. Samuel

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No 3i

20 JUN 1968

Filari

W.31

Flage A, B,

and C.

Flags D and

32

35

Mr. Eric Gordon and Family

I attach draft replies to letters (a) from

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon to the Prime Minister and

(b) from The Rev. The Lord Soper, who enclosed a

letter from Miss Anita Gordon, Mr. Gordon's sister.

2. There is nothing to add to the background

information in my submissions of 1 May and 28 May.

Jann Unnay

(James Murray)

13 June 1968

28.5

Mr. Samuel

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN [ARCHIVES No.31;

20 JUN 1968

F2/42

Plags A & B

Flag C

Flag D

Flaga E & F

Letters from Mr. Merlyn Rees, K.P. to

Kr. Roberts about the Gordon Family

I attach a draft reply from Mr. Rodgers to letters of

20 and 23 May from Mr. Merlyn Rees, M.P. to Mr. Roberts.

Mr. Rees wrote to Mr. Roberts on 2 April, but the letter did

not reach Far Eastern Department. Mr. Rees has since sent a

copy. The background to the case of the Gordons is in my

submission of ↑ May.

2. We have since received an unconfirmed report that a

French resident of the Friendship Hostel saw Mr. Gordon and

his family at the Hostel where they had reappeared for only

about one day. We have asked for confirmation of this and the

Chargé d'Affaires hopes it will be possible to question the

informant further in early June when he applies for a visa

to go to Hong Kong (Peking telegrams 448 and 482).

Janes Wnnaga.

(James Kurray) 28 May, 1968

CONFIDENTIAL

Fi(42.

Foreign Office London S.W.1

*

From The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

5 June, 1968.

81

35

The Foreign Secretary as asked me to thank you for your letter of 28 ly
coout your sou Eric and his wife and son.

Since the letter Mr. Corowy itcberts wrote to Mirs. Gordon on 7 ky there
has been a development, of which we have already informed your son
Jeffrey, with whom we have been keeping in close touch. A foreign
resident of the Friendship jostel in. Peking recently told & member of
our Mission that Eric and his family had reappeared some weeks ago for
about a day, apparently under no form of restriction.

I must, I am afraid, emphasise that this report is 'so far unconfirmed.
We are doing our best to obtain information, but as you know our Mission
works under great difficulties in Peking. In the meantime we are

continuing to do all we can in the interests of your son and his family.
I raised his case again with the Chargé d'Affaires only ton lays ago;
and we shall continue to press for information both here and in Peking.

Mr. and Mrs. S. Gordon,

22 Westbourne Gardens,

HOVE,

Sussex BN 3.

+

William Rodgers

Registry F4/42 DRAFT

LETTER

No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secrol

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

Ja

Confianc

To:

Mr. and Mrs. S. Gordon,

22, Westbourne Gardene, Rove, Sussex BN 3.

35

Type 1+

From

MR. RODGERS

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

Flag A