16th December

Anna Steenkamp, a Boer farmer's wife, wrote in her diary today in 1836 - 'It was not the non-whites' freedom that drove us to such lengths [travelling north in the Great Trek] as their being placed on an equal footing with Christians, contrary to the laws of God.'

You can't get a more Christian sentiment than that, now, can you?

In other news ...
The world went mad today in 1991, when the name of the new leader of MI5 - 'M' - was printed in the British Press. She was Stella Rimmington, the first woman to hold the job. This marked the end of the spying game as far as Britain was concerned - not that a woman was in charge (he added hastily) but that the whole thing was so public. This explains why James Bond had to undergo so many plastic surgery operations. The name was the same, but in a feeble attempt to pretend the Secret Services were still secret, the face had to change.

Spooky.

23rd September

There was a furore today in 1987 when ex-Intelligence officer Peter Wright's book Spycatcher was published in Australia. The man was a whistle blower, spilling info he should not have done under the Official Secrets Act. MI5 went into a tail spin, the Sunday Times was held in contempt of court and the government went ape-faeces.

How different it all is today. We all know the name and address of MI5's M (it's Judy Dench, by the way - cunningly doubling as an actress); it no longer matters about your sexual orientation if you want to be a spy (as long as it's more or less Not'Nor'west) and they advertise in the paper - 'Top Spies Wanted. No Experience or Qualifications Necessary'. What bothered me about the Spycatcher Case was the fact that a man we trusted the security of the country yo could be photographed wearing such a silly hat.

In other news ...
The blue-print for all modern police forces was seen for the first time today in 1912 when Mack Sennet's Keystone Cops hurtled at high speed across the screen, wearing summer regulation straw helmets and huge moustaches. It is still going on today, minus the straw helmets and huge moustaches in every constabulary in the country.

Oops; I think I'd better delete this because the Mem (who some of you will know is a Detective Inspector of some repute) has threatened to take away my computer for forensic analysis.

Also, I should apologise for the lateness of this blog. Today's downpours have finally been too much for the roof of Casa Maxwell and water is pouring merrily into the bathroom and heading down the stairs. The builder is on his way, but I hope he comes soon because my finger is getting tired plugging the leak.