Helen Griffiths

Lapsed lawyer, history, landscape (built and natural), cats, cooking, trees, literature, churches, small pleasures

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@Medievalhtybuff This is The Empress Matilda (or Maud) and she says yes, of course

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@lizaadamczewski These are marvellous!

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@DavidGHFrost @KathrynPorter26 The only Government politically able to reform the NHS to be sustainable would be a Labour Government with a large majority, working to create cross-party consensus. Such a Government seems to have had other priorities.

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@lornahunting Freezer lottery. There's always something leftover in there but never labelled, so it's always a surprise

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@MichaelRosenYes Masha- Mara Kay (school story set in the Smolni Institute in St. Petersburg)
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen
Ballet Shoes
Tom's Midnight Garden

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

Useful self-defence tip from the former Principal of Somerville

[Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall | The Spy Historian @thespyhistorian]

#HerSecretService #HerStory

Daphne Park, Baroness Park of Monmouth (1921-2010), was the FIRST female MI6 officer appointed Controller Western Hemisphere in 1975, the highest post ever occupied by a woman.

Her remarkable career spanned over thirty years; she spent time in #Hanoi during the #Vietnam War, smuggled men out of the Congo in the boot of her car, and ran agents in #Moscow.

During one interview, the formidable former spy commented:

"Licensed to kill? My foot. Brains are far more effective than guns - particularly for a woman. When an intruder tried to break into my house in the Congo, I flung open the window and said, 'I'm a witch, and if you stay a minute longer, your fingers will drop off.' He soon ran away."

Follow me @thespyhistorian for more stories about women in secret intelligence🕵️‍♀️

#spyhistory #womenshistory #MI6 #SIS #history #SecretIntelligenceService #war #secretintelligence

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@fugitiveink He's very handsome!

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@CF_Farrow That would have been my idea of Hell; and I'm neurotypical (probably)

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@tennei @IslingtonBC @Arsenal Thank you. That's good

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@AnneVGurney @AnthonyGri10669 There must have been some slaves involved

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

This, I discovered today, is Lambeth Palace chapel. No wonder...

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@cath_cov The (now former) Bishop who described Conservative voters as "scum" didn't help - drove away some of the types of people who make a church community work

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@SimonPulleyn Better!

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@SarahjevsEvans Something of the Barry Evans work ethic

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

End of the evening

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@LordAshcroft @bphillipsonMP @missgemcollins @AshcroftAcademy @Keir_Starmer Excellent letter

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@FrDidymus and baby boar are "humbugs", which is wonderful

[Helen Griffiths @HelenGriffiths5]

@Avabelly__ Gymnastics