Alexander Wilson | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Alexander_wilson_spy_and_writer.png) in uniform | |
| Born | Alexander Joseph Patrick Wilson 24 October 1893 Dover, Kent, England |
| Died | 4 April 1963 (aged 69) Ealing, London, England |
| Other names | Geoffrey Spencer, Gregory Wilson, Michael Chesney |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, teacher, spy, hospital porter |
| Employer(s) | Islamia College, MI6 |
| Known for | Polygamy, fabrication |
| Spouse |
|
| Children | 7, including Dennis B. Wilson |
| Relatives | Ruth Wilson (granddaughter) |
Alexander Joseph Patrick "Alec" Wilson[1][2][3] (24 October 1893 – 4 April 1963) was an English writer, spy, MI6 officer, and polygamist.[4] He wrote under the names Alexander Wilson, Geoffrey Spencer, Gregory Wilson, and Michael Chesney.
After his death, his family discovered that he had been a serial polygamist, who had lied to many people. As of 2018, documents that could shed light on his activities remain classified as "sensitive" by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, under section 3(4) of the Public Records Act 1958.[5]
The effect of his deceptions on his wives and descendants were dramatised in the 2018 BBC miniseries Mrs Wilson, in which his granddaughter, actress Ruth Wilson, portrayed her grandmother Alison (Wilson's third wife).
- ^ Crook (2010).
- ^ Wiener, Cat (13 October 2010). "Secrets of real-life MI6 spook revealed in new book". East London Lines. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ "Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) Decision notice" (PDF). Information Commissioner's Office. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ Kirby, Terry (8 October 2010). "Writer, lover, soldier, spy: The strange and secretive life of Alexander Wilson". The Independent. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ "Letter from Sir Alan Duncan, FCO, February 2018" (PDF). Alexander Wilson – Author, Adventurer and Spy. The Alexander Wilson Estate. Retrieved 16 December 2018.