For many years, Stephen Stratford’s website served as the central online reference for espionage cases prosecuted in Great Britain during the First and Second World Wars. It was a straightforward resource that documented the individuals involved, the circumstances of their capture, and the legal outcomes of their trials.
When that site disappeared, it left a significant gap in the digital record.
This section of the site is intended to rebuild and expand that reference material. It serves as a repository for structured case dossiers drawn from archival sources, documenting espionage cases prosecuted in Great Britain during the First World War, the inter-war years, and the Second World War. The goal is simple: to create a stable archive of espionage case dossiers, drawn from archival sources and organized so that researchers can quickly locate the key facts of each case.
My interest in this subject is also personal. My grandfather, Josef Jakobs, was the last person executed at the Tower of London during the Second World War. That connection led me into the archives, where I discovered how scattered and difficult many of these records can be to trace—trial details, execution records, burial locations, and the legal distinctions between charges such as Treason and offences under the Treachery Act.
Over time I began compiling structured case summaries for my own research. This archive grows out of that work.
Browse the archive
The espionage cases are organized by historical period, with an additional alphabetical index for quick reference.