His problems had begun in 1969, when he was accused by a defector from the Czech secret service of being a spy, because of his constituency and ministerial links with the country. If theyd said, John, wed like you to spy for us, hed have said no. However, in The Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5, Professor Christopher Andrew describes Stonehouse as the only British politician (so far as is known) to have acted as a foreign agent while holding ministerial office. Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Once tipped as a future prime minister, he rose to become minister of aviation, the final postmaster general and a privy counsellor advising the Queen. Before her marriage to John, Sheila was married but the relationship broke down amid accusations of her spouses infidelity. Stonehouse died of a heart attack aged 62 on April 14, 1988, in Southampton. Few of those in the neighbourhood where she has lived for decades know of her complicated past. She was young, attractive, and she clearly loved him very much., Tom Hiddleston Is Officially Returning For 'The Night Manager' Season 2, Michelle Keegan Takes The Lead In Netflix's New Harlan Coben Adaptation, Nicola Coughlan Just Leaked The Funniest BTS Snap From 'Bridgerton' S3, ITVXs 'You & Me' Is A Romantic Drama With A Major Twist. 'Are you Mr Markham?' In a documentary titled The Real Stonehouse, Metropolitan Police detective inspector David Townley says of Ms Buckley: I thought she was polite a kind, gentle person whod been mesmerised by Stonehouse and dragged into something she shouldnt have got involved in. Your email address will not be published. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. A documentary, The Real Stonehouse, is on ITV1 at 9pm on 5 January, Stonehouse review Matthew Macfadyen is a brilliantly bad baddie in this fun, death-faking romp, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Inspired by Frederick Forsyths thriller The Day of the Jackal, he had stolen the identity of a dead constituent, Joseph Markham, to get a passport in his name and intended to begin a new life in Melbourne. They had him drop his pants to check for a recognizable Lord Lucans characteristic scar along his upper thigh put an end to this confusion, to which the congressman obliged to avoid public attention. He knew what he was doing., Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning, Hayes said he pored over detailed files in Czech archives while researching his biography. The talented artist has worked on stage dramas and treaters for a long while and is now stepping her foot into on-screen acting projects. Free UK delivery on orders over 20. Emer Heatley is an English actress. A British politician fakes his own death. Stonehouse was eventually arrested in Melbourne and deported back to the UK, where he remained a Labour MP because the party did not expel him, owing to their narrow majority in the House of . A drama series depicting the curious story of MP John Stonehouse faking his own death begins on ITV tonight (Jan 2). They massaged his ego and gained his trust.. the former politician was released in 1980, talk briefly about his declining health in 1978, former parliamentary secretary is now in her eighties, having visited Stonehouse on multiple occasions. Hayes, a lawyer, saw a preview of the first episode of the three-part drama and read the scripts as part of a consultation. His father, Stonehouses nephew and business partner, later gave evidence against him in court. By But one of the most scandalous episodes in British political history is about to be excavated as two of Stonehouse's family members have written books about the events leading to his capture and imprisonment. John had three children with his first wife Barbara Joan Stonehouse: Julia, Jane and son Mathew. Mrs Stonehouse visited her husband without Ms Buckley and agreed to return to Australia with the kids so long as Sheila stayed away, but when she returned, there Sheila was. . She ended up with [a suspended sentence of] two years in prison for being in love with someone. Sheila Buckley was John Stonehouse MP secretary who disappeared with him when he faked his own death in 1974 and fled to Australia. Barbara was left deeply upset by the admission but also told Sheila how John had had many affairs in the past. Kevin R McNally ( The Crown) - Plays Harold Wilson. My father would later acquire copies of birth certificates for both Clive Mildoon and Joseph Markham, and falsely obtain one passport in the name of Markham. The series concluded on January 4, but this isnt the end of the story with ITV1 airing a companion documentary The Real Stonehouse yesterday (January 5) at 9pm on ITV1. More info. 'As a British diplomat reported back to Downing Street at the time: 'Although remarkably attractive and seemingly composed, [Sheila] is really rather a silly person who has been brought to her present situation by infatuation with Mr Stonehouse', Hayes writes in his new book. Hayes, whose biography of his great-uncle, Stonehouse: Cabinet Minister, Fraudster, Spy, was published in 2021, said the TV drama misrepresented how the politician became embroiled with the Czech secret services. John wed Sheila Elizabeth Buckley in Hampshire on January 31 1981. 'He betrayed everybody - his family, his constituents, his party, the country.'. However, his plans to leave behind his wife Barbara Joan Stonehouse (Keeley Hawes) and children for his mistress Shiela Buckley (Emer Heatley) didnt quite pan out. After stealing the identities of two deceased . On Christmas Eve that year, Mrs Mildoon read on the front page of her local paper that John Stonehouse had been found in Australia using the name Clive Mildoon. Sheila lived in Abbey Wood. When he was a parliamentarian, Sheila forged a partnership with him. Sheila Buckley, former secretary to British MP John Stonehouse, outside the Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court, London, 1976. 'We thought we might have a big, international criminal on our hands,' said one senior officer later. Heres the background to the show, and what has happened to the subjects since. They also cost him his political career a year later. Stonehouse didn't submit a resignation until after he was convicted of theft, fraud and deception and jailed for seven years. Stonehouse was captured by Australian police a little over a month following his disappearance after they originally confused him with Lord Lucan, a nobleman who had vanished 12 days before Stonehouse arrived in Australia after killing a nanny. Stonehouse, who faked his own death before fleeing to Australia with Buckley, was imprisoned for fraud in 1976. He was first elected as Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament (MP) for Wednesbury in Staffordshire in a 1957 . He was widely assumed to have died from suicide, with his wife saying: All the evidence that weve had points to the fact he was drowned.. 'So it's not surprising that by the time I've finished she's already written this book.'. The banking community of Melbourne would ensure that the next time he turned up, he would be under police surveillance. Stonehouse was released from prison in 1979 and two years later married his mistress, Sheila Buckley, who gave birth to their son the following year. See also. On July 22, my father opened a deposit account at a branch of the Midland Bank near Parliament in the name of Markham, giving a false address. After Johns ruse was discovered, he asked both Shiela and Barbara to come to Australia ad bring his children. But it doesnt stand up to scrutiny and it certainly wasnt believed by the jury in his trial.. Shoppers say this new no-needle 'instant filler' is a game changer for lines and wrinkles, This 'curated ear design' brand is a go-to for fashion influencers - and we have a discount, 6 of our favourite bags from the luxe new accessories label to know. John Stonehouse MP faked his own death - and his family can't agree on the truth As the MP who faked his own death in 1974 comes to the small screen as an ITV drama, his relations are still at. He simply wasn't thinking straight. "What happened to John Stonehouse is the stuff of legend. The thriller, Stonehouse, directed by Jon S. Baird and written by John Preston, will be explored how a Labour candidate and senior in Harold Wilson's government managed to disappear one day mysteriously. Sheila Buckley Wiki:-Sheila Buckley is a former Secretary M.P. Julia wrote: At 4am, Jane answered the phone. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. This wasn't the behaviour of an arch criminal. You can unsubscribe at any time. Stonehouse was a member of Harold Wilsons cabinet as aviation minister and postmaster general, but his career crashed when he was named in 1969 as an agent of the Czech secret service. He was then extradited to Britain, all the while continuing to serve as one of Parliament's most colourful members. I really just wanted to understand how someone could get themselves into this terrible mess. His mistress and. Sheila, who was 21 years his junior, and John welcomed their son James William John in 1982. Hayes is also one of the contributors featured in the ITV documentary The Real Stonehouse, alongside many others including Edwina Currie and Harold Wilsons Private Secretary Robin Butler. My father's bathroom cabinet was full of bottles of Mandrax, a drug then widely prescribed for insomnia and anxiety but now banned for more than 30 years because of its negative impact on mental health. Dorothy Atkinson ( All Creatures Great and Small) - Plays Betty Boothroyd. Emer Heatley portrayed Sheila Buckley in ITV's Stonehouse ITV In The Real Stonehouse, an ITV documentary released in tandem with the series, retired Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector. 'I don't buy it. Unknown to him, eight police officers were taking it in turns to follow him, and intercepting his letters from Sheila. Just over a month after his disappearance, Stonehouse was arrested in Australia by police who initially mistook him for Lord Lucan, the aristocrat who had gone missing 12 days before Stonehouse. Taken with alcohol, it can be fatal. RME113E5 - Jul. Stonehouse was found guilty of fraud and forgery amongst other things, after faking his own death in order to start a new life with Buckley. John Stonehouse, pictured in August 1975, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to seven years in prison for fraud, theft and deception. Only later would she find out that 'it' meant his whole life. Julia has stated not only has she, her mother Barbara and her siblings had previously been hurt by the spy claims, but Sheila and her son too were left upset. It's so out of character for the John Stonehouse we knew. Sheila left the car. According to the book Stonehouse: Cabinet Minister, Fraudster and Spy by Johns great nephew Julian Hayes, neither Sheila nor Barbara wanted to let go of the MP despite his misdeeds. If youd written the Stonehouse story as fiction, it would be completely unbelievable. Throughout everything that's happened with my family, over all the years, this is the one thing we find so terrible. They stayed together until Stonehouses death from a major heart attack. ', Sheila told my mother she'd been his mistress for a long time, that he loved her and that he waited on her hand and foot. 'When Julia got wind of the book, there were then a number of quite, how shall we put it, terse emails,' Hayes said. Stonehouse subsequently faced a 68-day trial, making the longest dock statement in British history, lasting six days the ancient right was later abolished as a result. Stonehouse was a controlling person, Townley added. According to the series, Stonehouse, a high-ranking official in Harold Wilsons administration, faked his death by swimming into the sea after disappearing from the beach of a lavish resort in Florida circa November 1974. The partner of imprisoned MP John Stonehouse, Sheila Buckley discusses Stonehouse's declining health after he was declined parole. My parents, John and Barbara Stonehouse, celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary at their favourite restaurant in London on the evening of November 13, 1974. In 1988, he died after a heart attack,. It was no secret that my then 49-year-old father had been under intense emotional pressure in the years before his dramatic disappearance. ITVs Stonehouse drama showcased the pair in the midst of a high-profile scandal. He was found guilty of various counts of theft, fraud and deception in August 1976, and was sentenced to seven years in prison, serving three. Stonehouse was released from prison in 1979 and two years later married his mistress, Sheila Buckley, who gave birth to their son the following year. After satisfying themselves that he was, in fact, John Stonehouse MP, the hospital gave him about five names. The three-part drama, which stars Matthew Macfadyen in the titular role, tells the story of disgraced Labour minister John Stonehouse, who attempted to fake his own death in 1974. Being Mr Markham or Mr Mildoon was a safety valve, a release, a life-saver. A lot of sinister mysteries are hidden under her invisible reputation. At the time she thought he meant he couldn't take any more of the stress of endlessly travelling the globe trying to set up business deals. You can unsubscribe at any time. He imagined himself escaping the world of John Stonehouse and becoming someone else someone without all these difficulties. He'd been a Minister of Aviation, worked on the development of Concorde and even negotiated the sales of the engines powering the very planes he was flying around in. Unforgotten can survive without Nicola Walker, Sanjeev Bhaskar on the return of Unforgotten, Banning actors like Emma Corrin from working-class roles won't fix acting's posh problem, Do not sell or share my personal information. But people believed his new personas, and he began to enjoy the feeling. The ITV drama isnt the only thing to have attracted criticism from the family, Johns great-nephew Julian Hayes wrote his own book Stonehouse: Cabinet Minister, Fraudster, Spy. Today she lives alone in a 700,000 detached home in Romsey on the River Test, the Daily Mail reports. The more those people became real to him, the more Mr Stonehouse yearned to be one of them. John is widely remembered for his unsuccessful attempt at faking his death in 1974, leaving a pile of clothes in Miami Beach to make it appear he had drowned or been eaten by a shark. Words fall short of expressing our grief for your loss, as we mourn with family and friends for this great loss. She puts his behaviour down to depression, breakdown and use of prescription drugs, said Hayes. All rights reserved. It turned out to be easier than he expected. He then incredibly asked his wife Barbara if both she and Sheila could come out to Australia. Early on the morning of Wednesday, December 4, he phoned Sheila. John tragically died in 1988 at 62 after having a heart attack after suffering multiple heart attacks throughout his life. Stonehouse: With Matthew Macfadyen, Simon Greenall, Kevin McNally, Dorothy Atkinson. Stonehouse collapsed in Birmingham while appearing on Central Live to talk about missing people on March 25, 1988. Stonehouse was a controlling person. Side effects include depression, anxiety, paranoia, confusion, poor decision-making and an increased risk of suicide. In December 1982, their son James William John was born. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. He survived, but on April 14 he was admitted to Southampton General hospital. The disgraced politician was foiled after the police caught him in 1974, believing he was missing aristocrat Lord Lucan. It must have been a terrible shock to her, and to Mrs Markham, to find their husbands' names being used in this way. How To Watch Stonehouse Episodes? To flee the enormous debts he had accrued, Stonehouse started a new covert life using a deceased gentleman, called John Markhams passport, while authorities questioned his enigmatic death. The pair had an affair which became public after Stonehouses attempt to fake his death emerged. The discovery left his wife Barbara devastated after learning of his betrayal. Sheila Buckley, and acted as a spy for the Czech Secret Service in the 1960s. The finger of suspicion was pointed at my father. When the former politician was released in 1980, the couple married a year later and had a son, James William John. She only found out John had been having an affair after he went missing and she was contacted by a newspaper reporter asking about a rented flat in Westminster. She has kept her life very private, and rarely if ever speaks about her relationship. Mr.John Stonehoouse and his secretary Mrs. Sheila Buckley, appeared before the magistrate at Bow Street Police station today after he and Mrs. Buckley had spent the night in the cells. Stonehouse used a new alias after faking his own death, but his ruse only lasted a. All Rights Reserved. The phone call from my father on his earlier US trip saying he 'couldn't take it any more' led my mother to wonder if he'd had a breakdown or killed himself or both. Also Read: How To Watch Stonehouse Episodes? , later gave evidence against him in court youd written the Stonehouse story as fiction, it be! My father about missing people on March 25, 1988 death begins on ITV tonight Jan. 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