Welcome to Charles Pither Official Website
ARE YOU WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE?
IPSEITY is about identity . . .
Briggens House
Briggens House is an 18th century mansion near the village of Roydon on border between Essex and Hertfordshire. During the war it was the home of the 4th Baron Aldenham, Walter Gibbs, chairman of National Westminster Bank.
The building was requisitioned by the MOD and used initially for training the Polish army in exile, agents being prepared to return to Poland to engage in acts of sabotage.
Such personnel required fake documents and the Poles had established a forgery unit in the basement. With the progression of the war this unit was expanded and became section XIV of the Special Operations Executive. The unit went on to produce all documents needed by agents working in Europe as well as bank notes, stamps and other propaganda materials.
After the war the building was used for various purposes including a school and a hotel. Latterly a golf club was created in the parkland but this has now closed. At the present time the building stands empty.
Surprisingly very little information is available about the extraordinary activities of the wartime unit. The best source is the substantial collection of papers assembled by Des Turner and published by him but now available through Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Station-14-Briggens-Training-ebook/dp/B09LLWHRRG
There is little information held at the Imperial War museum but they do hold the bundle from Dennis Collins the multitalented artist, musician and poet who features in Ipseity. these include various cartoons, editions of SNOOP the in-house magazine, the menu for the Christmas dinner, and the remarkable Lords Prayer. Dennis went on to become a well known cartoonist, creating the Perishers strip in the Daily Mail.
Watch this video about Briggens and how it is today.
I was able to visit a few years ago and felt the ghosts of Peter and Elisabeth in the deserted basement.
Dennis left us an entry in his diary of the FANYs that had worked at Briggens. I can imagine how they must have had a very positive effect on the otherwise all male collection of artists, printers, linguists and sundry academics.
He also created this remarkable cartoon of all his work colleagues. He is bottom left with roll of poems under his arm.
About the author
Charles Pither grew up in Hertfordshire and attended medical school at St Thomas' Hospital in London. He trained as a physician and anaesthetist where he developed an interest in the management of chronic pain. He subsequently worked in the field for over thirty years pioneering the multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme INPUT at St Thomas'. During this time, he published numerous research papers and contributed chapters to textbooks and monographs.
However, throughout his medical career he continued to write creatively, poetry as well as humour and essays, short stories and a novel. Having retired from clinical medicine he has been able to concentrate more on his writing with a regular travel blog and a recently completed second novel.
Charles lives near Oxford in an old farmhouse on a windy hill.
Contact details
Please get in touch if you have any comments on IPSEITY or have new information about Briggens. I would love to hear from people who had relatives who worked there.
Reader Reviews
" …. a journey of discovery on many levels. Set against the backdrop, the tensions and uncertainty of war, Charles Pither beautifully explores and captures the poignancy and fragility of love. Sad but uplifting."
JONATHAN MORRISH
Buying IPSEITY
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