Nationality British Education Eton College Died 1981 | Role Writer Name James Lonsdale-Bryans Books The Curve of Fate | |
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Born 10 May 1893
Regent's Park, London, UK. ( 1893-05-10 ) | ||
James Lonsdale-Bryans (1893–1981) was a British writer, amateur diplomat and Nazi sympathiser who was educated at Eton College.
In 1940, Lonsdale-Bryans travelled to Italy to meet Ulrich von Hassell, the German ambassador to Italy. He believed von Hassell would be receptive to the idea of a pact between Britain and Germany at the outbreak of World War II. The terms of this pact were that Germany would have a free hand in Europe in return for Britain running the rest of the world. However, he unsuccessfully attempted to arrange a meeting with both U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and British General Bernard Montgomery.
Lonsdale-Bryans had the ear of several members of British Parliament, including Lord Halifax, but the level of support of said MPs is unknown. A handwritten note by the MI5 stated: "He went to Italy with the knowledge of the Foreign Office in order to develop his contacts. He greatly exceeded his instructions."
MI5 decided against having him arrested, due to the possible support he was receiving from members of Parliament (potentially including Neville Chamberlain), and the embarrassment this would have caused. Lonsdale-Bryans was on friendly terms with powerful members of the British aristocracy, including the Duke of Buccleuch and Lord Brocket, who also were Nazi sympathizers.
When Winston Churchill succeeded Chamberlain as Prime Minister, Lord Halifax remained as Foreign Secretary until, in January 1941, he was sent to Washington as British Ambassador. Lonsdale-Bryans's political influence therefore disappeared.
There are a smattering of references to James Lonsdale-Bryans in the memoirs of the travel writer Robin Bryans ( Robert Harbinson). These hard to get titles include "The Dust Has Never Settled" (1992).
Lonsdale-Bryans was a contemporary at Eton College of Hon. Evan Frederic Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar (1893-1949). Morgan's biographer, William Cross, FSA Scot includes the overlaps with Longdale-Bryans in his book "Not Behind Lace Curtains: The Hidden World of Evan, Viscount Tredegar" ( 2013).