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Maxwell Knight sang praises of the amateur naturalist
Maxwell Knight played a significant part in a number of fields; herpetology was his particular love and he produced a number of scientific papers on this subject as well as adding to national and local records and, through his books and broadcasts, encouraging an appreciation of reptiles and amphibians amongst the British public. The filing cabinet contains letters…
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So what sort of person was the real-life “M”?
To answer that question, we need to better understand the contrast between Maxwell Knight’s (recently publicised) life as one of Britain’s most talented World War II spymaster’s – the original ‘M’ – and that of an early (largely unpublicised) environmentalist. Clearly he was an incredibly gifted man who had a sixth sense for identifying and…
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How to Keep a Gorilla
On the 30th May 1967, Wolfe Publishing posted a book contract to Maxwell Knight to confirm terms for the fairly tongue-in-cheek “How to Keep a Gorilla.” The publisher wanted “something quite simple” – they wanted him to duplicate his previous book “How to Keep an Elephant” and they agreed to pay him the same terms. Inside the…
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Desert Island Discs: Roy Plomley’s castaway is naturalist Maxwell Knight
On Monday 28 June 1965 at 13:10 on the BBC Home Service, Maxwell Knight was Roy Plomley’s castaway on Desert Island Discs and his favourite track was The Waiter, the Porter and the Upstairs Maid by Bing Crosby & Mary Martin. His favourite book: The Cambridge Natural History Luxury: Microscope Unfortunately, this episode is not currently available on BBC…
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What’s a “cuckoo nest plot?”
It’s been a bad week for Boris Johnson; brought to his knees by a “cuckoo nest plot” reports The Telegraph. The Cuckoo, however, has its own problems as its population is in freefall: “since the early 1980s Cuckoo numbers have dropped by 65%,” says the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and “the reason for this…
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Spies and Snakes – A Charming Story
Maxwell Knight was an adventurous and insatiably curious field naturalist (and MI5 agent-runner). “Naturalists, to be any use at all, must be curious above almost anything else,” he’d say. “They must ever be asking: Why? How? When? Where?” His curiosity would often lead him to conduct experiments to look at some of the unsolved myths…
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Wondering How To Learn Maxwell Knight’s (Nature) Detection Skills? Read This!
Not all ‘clues’ will at once tell you what you want to know At times, several clues will have to be put together – be patient Take notes – make it a habit – what did you see or hear? Don’t rely on your memory as it will let you down When in doubt, consult…
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“I may not be able to draw, but I can sew!”
As a boy scout, Maxwell Knight was influenced by Robert Baden-Powell’s teachings, which insisted that the study of living things was one of the single most important features of everyday scout life. He was trained to be highly observant and the foundations of a great amateur-naturalist were firmly established. He learned with varying degrees of…
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WORKING WITH INTELLIGENCE
“Intelligence is MI5’s currency,” according to mi5.gov.uk – “Collecting and analysing covert intelligence is at the centre of what MI5 does, and roles in these areas are critical to our mission of keeping the country safe.” Much has changed since Maxwell Knight’s (M’s) time; however, if he was still with us today, I’m sure he’d agree…
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Keep nature on the Agenda – post Brexit
“We can only hope that any future government will be continually alert and that the warnings of many top scientists about the necessity for full and extensive tests on any form of pesticide, or spray, for dealing with plants will be heeded.” – Maxwell Knight (The Frightened Face of Nature – 1964). Post Brexit, we must…
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What makes a good Field Naturalist?
“A good naturalist must be healthy, alert and tough,” writes Maxwell Knight in The Frightened Face of Nature (unpublished). “Think of some of our own naturalists today (1964): Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke, Eric Hosking and Peter Scott. Remember that those who are inclined to make fun of naturalists are usually those who by jeering are trying…
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True conservation is as impossible as…
…trying to produce a “balance of nature”. The best we can hope for, therefore, is our best attempt at nature conservation – to help the maximum number of desirable species reproduce and thrive in any given region.
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“Be a Nature Detective”
I have in front of me a “withdrawn” library book written by Maxwell Knight entitled “Be a Nature Detective” (Frederick Warne & Co 1968). On 24 June 1968 – some five months after the author of the book died – the book was borrowed from Derbyshire County Library for the very first time. I…
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Feeding our animals in 2066 – a perspective on future challenges for Zoos & Aquariums
John Cooper, Simon King and Andy Beer (nutritionist – RZSS) were guest speakers at the BIAZA Conference and 50th Anniversary celebrations 6th – 8th June Marwell Wildlife Abstract: The presentation gives a wide-ranging review of the issues and challenges that are emerging or could emerge as considerations impacting upon how and where the constituents…
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A new generation of Nature Detectives
John Cooper first heard Maxwell Knight’s iconic broadcasts as a child because his family listened to Nature Parliament in the afternoons, at ten past one on the Home Service. After the News, it would either be Country Questions or The Naturalist, which was introduced by three curlew calls. After attending several of Knight’s talks, in…
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Was Maxwell Knight Ian Fleming’s “M”?
To many, “M” might seem like a random letter plucked from thin air by Ian Fleming during a spell of writer’s block; a fictional character. It was, of course, anything but, as the two men (Ian Fleming and Maxwell Knight) were in the security service at the same time, and “M’s” talents as a spy…
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Global wildlife populations have halved in just 40 years” – WWF’s Living Planet Report 2014.
“Wildlife’s continued decline highlights the urgent need for sustainable solutions to humanity’s increasing demand on our natural resources,” reports WWF and ZSL in the Living Planet Report. Professor Ken Norris, Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London said: “The scale of biodiversity loss and damage to the very ecosystems that are essential to…
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Nature: friend or foe?
“Many people think that animals of all kinds can be neatly put into groups and labelled Friend, or Foe; or Harmless, or Harmful. Unfortunately, nature does not work like this, and there are very few creatures in this country that can be described as wholly beneficial or equally destructive… This business of friends and foes…
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It’s true, Maxwell Knight’s notoriety isn’t without controversy…
His skills were honed as a member of Rotha Lintorn-Orman’s British Fascists who imported the ideology of Fascism. He was the group’s spymaster and managed to assemble a large number of amateur sleuths, who reported regularly on Communist group activity. It was his success during these pre-war Fascist interventions that made him a must-have recruit for…
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Maxwell Knight – the spy-runner who loved nature
Maxwell Knight was the original “M”, a spy-runner who, with the help of young case officers, was responsible for counter-subversion and managed successfully to penetrate the British fascist movement. He was undeniably MI5’s most gifted agent-runner, and his sixth sense for enlisting would-be talented agents lead to him recruiting Joan Miller from within MI5 to…
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Why didn’t Maxwell Knight publish The Frightened Face of Nature?
Maxwell Knight was aware of the furore and criticism from chemical companies and others when Rachel Carson published her book Silent Spring in 1962. Indeed, he credits her work in his unpublished manuscript. She wasn’t the only one in those years who drew attention to environmental problems and was criticised for not being “proper scientists”;…
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BIRD GARDENING – HOW DID IT START?
Knight the pioneer: How did ‘bird gardening’ become established in British life? Simon King reveals its origins in the ideas and writing of the famous WW2 spy catcher – none other than Maxwell Knight. The practice of putting out food for birds in gardens is more popular now than ever before, with more than half…
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Camberley Natural History Society’s Exhibition at Surrey Heath Museum – Photo blog
Maxwell Knight was amongst the original founders of the Camberley Natural History Society in 1946. Source: Camberley Natural History Society’s Exhibition at Surrey Heath Museum – Photo blog
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How did ‘bird gardening’ become established in British life?
Simon King and Margaret Cooper reveal its origins in the ideas and writing of the famous WW2 spy catcher – none other than Maxwell Knight. Available in this week’s Cage & Aviary Birds Magazine
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Maxwell Knight’s cabinet featured in Cage & Aviary Birds publication:
Copyright: see acknowledgements
What will you do now that you know?
The Frightened Face of Nature is a space for slowing down.
Maxwell Knight (1900–1968) is known in some circles for his work in intelligence (MI5), but that’s not really why his name appears here.
Long before ‘the environmental crisis’ became a headline, Knight noticed something many around him overlooked: nature was on the back foot.
It was his love of animals and the natural world, not his professional career, that made him pay attention.
Knight’s life, anchored in curiosity, observation, and attention to detail offers a way to think about how we see the world, and how easily we can stop seeing it at all.
The Frightened Face of Nature takes its name from an unpublished manuscript he wrote, which was found inside a secret cabinet.
Here, we explore stories and questions that don’t fit neatly into clickbait headlines — not because they aren’t urgent, but because they are complex and demand more than fleeting attention.
Knight’s perspective reminds us: Awareness isn’t passive. It’s an active choice.
So what will you do now that you know?
— Simon King FLS
