- CAN I WATCH LATER? Yes! Sign-up and we'll email you a recording
Event Description
The first task of a spy is to gather information. However, any information collected is absolutely useless unless the spy can communicate it back to his or her own intelligence service. This lively talk will illustrate some of the weird and wonderful ways of collecting and passing on intelligence during the First World War, all retrieved from the memoirs of ten people purporting to have acted as spies. Can a message really be hidden in a dead fish? Why were the British so concerned about washing drying on lines in Belgium? Is there any reason you should be wary of a lady wearing silk stockings? All will be revealed in this humorous illustrated talk.
- Duration: 60 mins
- Online Zoom event: Join from your computer, phone or tablet (a recording will be available)
Meet the Host, Melanie
Melanie King has published eight books of historical non-fiction, covering subjects from prophecy and espionage to the history of chocolate. Her latest book, The Secret History of English Spas, was released September 2021.
Melanie graduated from Sussex University and has worked in Bangkok as a staff writer for the Nation, in Brussels with eurocrats, in the publications department at Chatham House, and in London with refugees and victims of torture. She earns a living as a writer and speaker, exploring the oddities of little-known byways of history.
More Information
What if I can’t make the event?
If a recording’s available for the event, you can still register for it and we will send you an email with a link to a recording shortly after it ends.
Will my camera be on and will I be visible to the other people?
Your camera and microphone does not need to be on for you to enjoy the event. The choice about whether to do this is completely yours.
How do I watch the live event?
Rest Less events are hosted on Zoom, a computer application that allows you to attend online events just by clicking a link. For detailed instructions, please go to our "FAQ" page, which you can find a link to in the nav bar at the top of the page.
How do I sign-up for and access the recording? (Recorded events only)
Book the event as normal (as if you are attending live). After the event ends you will automatically receive a post-event email with a link to the recording, as long as the event was recorded. You do not need to do anything else and there is no separate booking process for recordings only. Please note it can take up to 24 hours for Zoom to process recordings.
