Marjorie Maxse

Background

Marjorie Maxse was the daughter of Ernest George Berkeley Maxse (18 November 1863 – 13 March 1943) and Sarah Alice Nottage-Miller (died 25 May 1908).

Career

In 1940 Maxse was appointed director of the Children"s Overseas Reception Board and vice-chair of the Women"s Voluntary Services for Civil Defence (WVS). However, she was also chief of staff for Section Doctorate (the "Doctorate" stood for destruction) of MI6. In his book, My Secret War (1968) Philby described his first meeting with Maxse: "I found myself in the forecourt of Saint Ermin"s Hotel, near Street James"s Park station, talking to Mission Marjorie Maxse.

She was an intensely likeable elderly lady (then almost as old as I am now).

I had no idea then, as I have no idea now, what her precise position in government was. But she spoke with authority, and was evidently in a position at least to recommend me for interesting employment.

At an early stage of our talk, she turned the subject to the possibilities of political work against the Germans in Europe." She died on 3 May 1975, aged 83.

Achievements

• She was invested as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1918 and as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1941. She was knighted as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1952 for her contributions and services to politics, gaining the title of Dame Marjorie Maxse, as she preferred to be known.

Membership

She was invested as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1918 and as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1941.