Conrad O'Brien-Ffrench
Encyclopedia
Conrad Fulke Thomond O’Brien-ffrench (November 19, 1893 - October 23, 1986), was a distinguished British Secret Intelligence Officer
, Captain in the Tipperary Rangers of the Royal Irish Regiment and 16th The Queen's Lancers
in World War I, and Mountie for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. He was also an accomplished artist, linguist, mountaineer, skier and author.
Born in London, England, Conrad Fulke Thomond O’Brien-ffrench was the second son of Henry Albert De Vreque O'Brien-ffrench (Marquis de Castelthomond) and his wife Winifred Thursby, heiress and daughter of Major James Legh Thursby, of Ormerod House Lancashire.
He and his older brother Rollo (Rollo Adrien Vladimir Thursby Marie Altieri O'Brien-ffrench) spent their early childhood in Italy at Villa Torlonia (Frascati)
in the Albany Hills, east of Rome, and then at Piazza dell'Indipendenza in Florence
, where they received private tutoring in English, French and Italian. Returning to England, Conrad joined Rollo at the Wick, a preparatory school in the Hove
district of Brighton
. Following Rollo's graduation, Conrad completed his prep school at St. Aubyn's Preparatory School in Rottingdean
, after which he attended Bradley Court Agricultural College in the Forest of Dean
, where he developed his lifelong interest in horsemanship, fox hunting and other country pursuits, and became a junior member of the Ledbury Hunt. During these years his other siblings, Yvonne (Yvonne Castelthomond O'Brien-ffrench) and Alexis (Alexis Evelyn Henry O'Brien-ffrench), were born.
At age 16, Conrad's life took an abrupt turn when Rollo died in an accident playing football. Conrad left school at this time to study farming in the Evesham Valley, and while there he met a Justice of the Peace from Buffalo Lake Ranch in Saskatchewan, who told him of life on the wild frontier and of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. In April 1910, at age 17, Conrad sailed on the Empress of Britain for Quebec and continued west to join the Royal North-West Mounted Police in Saskatchewan.
After basic training Conrad was posted to Cypress Hills (Canada), a remote and untamed area. He was later posted to Willow Creek and then Battle Creek, but mid-1912 received word that his mother was dying from cancer. He purchased his release and returned to Esher
in Surrey
to be by her side. She died the following summer.
During this time Conrad and friends took weekend trips to the Brooklands
race track, where he was introduced to motor racing. Subsequently he purchased a 1909 Mercedes Simplex
and developed a taste for fast cars.
Following his mother's death, Conrad traveled to his ancestral homeland in Ireland and joined The Tipperary Militia, a special reserve unit of the Royal Irish Regiment
. In August 1914 he was promoted to Captain and engaged in the Battle of Mons
with his regiment as part of the British Expeditionary Force. On the first day of battle he was severely wounded, captured and taken prisoner. He was held first at Torgau
, a Bismarckian fortress, and then at Burg de Magdeburg POW camp.
After numerous failed escape attempts, he was transferred to what was considered an escape-proof camp at Augustabad. Here Conrad began an exchange of letters with his friend Cathleen Mann, and through the use of invisible ink, transmitted details of troop movements and other strategic information gathered from incoming prisoners. One communication included information about a prototype German Bomber that he obtained from a captured British pilot. Her job as secretary to Stewart Menzies
of British counterintelligence, allowed a speedy relay of information through Menzies to Field Marshal Douglas Haig
. Attempts were made to extract Conrad and the pilot to London, but these failed and Conrad remained in Augustabad.
in December 1918 to meet then Colonel Stewart Menzies
, who recruited Conrad into MI6. At the time, Menzies reported to Captain Mansfield Smith-Cumming
, the first head of the British Secret Service, who was called "C", a designation that remains to the present day (not the "M" of popular fiction). He was posted to the British Legation in Stockholm
as Assistant Military Attaché under the command of Major Dymoke Scale. While a POW, Conrad had learned fluent Russian, and was now tasked with gathering information from Russian refugees fleeing the aftermath of the 1917 revolution.
In 1920, Conrad was assigned to escort Russian diplomat Leonid Krasin
through countries hostile to the new Communist government to meet with Prime Minister Lloyd George in London for secret talks about the restoration of trade with the West. (Dispatches from Lord Acton, British Minister Plenipotentiary to the newly independent Finland, confirmed arrangements for a special train to meet the delegation and under heavy guard they traveled to Turku
, Finland, then Sweden to reunite with Krasin's family, en route for England. This event, the first face-to-face meeting between Russian Communist leadership and the outside world, led to the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement
of March 1921.
Subsequently, the postwar depression and easing Soviet-British relations caused cutbacks to the Secret Service, and Conrad resigned from the service and returned to England.
to one of the British Governors for the upcoming Royal tour of India. Edward VIII, then the Prince of Wales, arrived in India on December 21, 1921, and stayed until April 1922. During this time the Indian National Congress
of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
was in full swing, and the Royal tour was dogged by passive demonstrations and riots. The heavy handed response of the British to this resistance played a part in the end of the British Raj
.
In February 1922, Conrad witnessed a meeting requested by the Viceroy of India, Lord Reading (Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
), with the Prince to discuss the possible arrest of Mohandas K. Gandhi. On February 1, 1922, Gandhi had written a letter to the Viceroy informing him of the Bardoli
district's decision to commence mass civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes, unless the Viceroy declared a policy of non-interference with non-violent activities.
On February 4, 1922, upon learning that the sub inspector of Chauri Chaura
police station assaulted Congress volunteers at Mundera Bazar
, an angry mob gathered at the station, demanding explanation from the guilty official. While the crowd marched on, shouting anti-government slogans, police fired warning shots agitating the crowds further. In response the crowd began throwing stones at the police, who were then ordered to open fire, killing three and wounding several others. The police retreated, some believe due to lack of ammunition while others attribute it to fear of the angry and courageous crowd. Chaos ensued and the heavily outnumbered police returned to the shelter of Thana (City Hall). The enraged crowd challenged the police to come out of their den, and on paying no heed, took revenge by setting the Thana on fire, killing 22 officers (including the station officer) who were trapped inside.
Gandhi did not support the violent actions, and consequently suspended the Non-cooperation movement
at its peak. British officials hoped to suppress the civil disobedience by arresting Gandhi, and on March 10, 1922, Lord Reading ordered Gandhi's arrest. The initial discussion that Conrad witnessed was now a reality, Gandhi had been arrested, tried and jailed, but the results were not as the British intended. Conrad experienced firsthand the transformative influence of one man as he peacefully expressed true character, and soon the control of the British Raj gave way to India's leadership.
. One of his more dangerous climbs was near Srinagar
in the Vale of Kashmir
. While climbing the Skoro La Pass, a mountain downpour created dangerous conditions, transforming the rocky cliff his party was ascending into an icy waterfall. A landslide, freezing conditions and dwindling light forced the team to rapidly forge an alternative route. Conrad led the team to safety, and ultimately to the summit.
Conrad explored the Himalayas, Austrian Alps and other world ranges, meeting Sir Francis Younghusband
, Frank Smythe
, Sir John Hunt
and Sir Edmund Hillary
. In The May Mountaineer, Conrad describes skiing adventures among the towering peaks and glaciers of the Austrian Alps. When living in Banff, he often rock-climbed and ski'd in the Lake and Fairhome ranges. Elected to the Alpine Club
in 1933, Conrad became a lifelong member. The following are some of Conrad's earlier climbs, documented upon his nomination to the Alpine Club in London, England.
under Professor Henry Tonks
(1926–27), at the Byam Shaw School of Art under Ernest Jackson (1928–29), and at Andre Lhote
's Academy in Montparnasse
, Paris (1930–32). Student friends included Simon Elwes
, Henri Cartier-Bresson
, Guy Arnoux and Elena Mumm Thornton Wilson. Conrad worked out of his studio in the Parc Monsouri district and gained an increasing reputation for his portraitures.
Upon completion of his studies, Conrad traveled to Jamaica
with his father, painting and preparing for an exhibition at the Claridge Gallery in London. The exhibit's paintings and drawings included Jamaican scenes, as well as portraits of H.R.H. The Duchess of Pistoia, H.S.H. The Duchess d'Arenberg, Il Duca de La Tour Corio and Il Marchese di Castlethomond.
, Banff, Alberta, 1948; President of Rim Rock School of Fine Art, Loveland, Colorado, 1955; and Vice President of Water Wheel Gallery, Estes Park, Colorado, 1975.
, Austria, where Conrad continued his work with the British Secret Service. The marriage produced a daughter, Christina Laetitia, and was dissolved in 1934. Conrad remarried on May 1, 1945, in London, England, to Rosalie Isabelle Baker, daughter of Ralph George Baker. They moved to Canada (see Fairholme Ranch) and had two sons, Rollo and John.
, who later (in 1939) was named head of the British Secret Service. He persuaded Conrad to rejoin the Secret Service (now as Agent Z3), and provided him with the cover of businessman. The newly formed Secret Intelligence Service
(SIS) network "Z" was taking shape under a variety of business covers, and Conrad established Tyrolese Tours offering package tours to Austria and Southern Germany. He based himself in Kitzbühel
and proceeded to establish a spy network stretching from Austria deep into Southern Germany. While in Kitzbühel, Conrad met Peter Fleming and Ian Fleming
, and they often crossed paths at homes of mutual friends, at bars, on the ski slopes or at the warm-water lake, the Shwartz Zee. Conrad's style, athletic endeavors, personal adventures and experience in espionage may have provided Ian Fleming with some of his inspirations for James Bond
. He was also in attendance to Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, who used Kitzbühel as their first home after the abdication crisis of 1936.
Conrad provided intelligence on Nazi occultism and the build up of German forces in preparation for World War II. On Friday, March 11, 1938, Conrad received a message from an Austrian living near the Austrian/German border, reporting that German forces were advancing from Bad Toltz and Rosenheim
towards the Austrian border. The timeliness of this information is critical to political and military manoeuvres. Knowing this, Conrad used the most expedient method available to transmit the message, phoning the report directly to London, even though it exposed his cover. He was told that this was the first news received from Allied capitals reporting the advance. Conrad continued to receive confirmations of the advance throughout the day. Through his local contacts he was able to warn residents, giving many in danger time to quickly pack and flee—saving lives. The ease of travel quickly changed, and by the next morning Gestapo
officials were ripping soles from passengers' shoes in search of money and incriminating documents. At 9 a.m., Saturday morning, March 12, a large force of German troops entered Kitzbühel, with another at Mittenwald
to occupy Innsbruck
and the country west as far as the Arlberg Pass.
Himmler's Gestapo, in 1940, prepared for Nazi Germany's invasion of Britain in World War II by compiling a list of more than 2,300 names of the most-wanted Britons in The Black Book
(Sonderfahndungsliste G.B.). It includes the name of French, Marquis de Castelchomond (sic), O'Brien with the notation "brit. Agent, Kapitan." The 112th entry continues with "vermutl. England, RSHA IV E4 Stapoleit Munchen." The Reich Main Security Office, RSHA
, combined the SS Intelligence Service (the SD), Secret State Police (Gestapo
), Criminal Police (Kripo) and Foreign Intelligence Service into an enormous organization, armed with the data and resources to commit mass murders. The RSHA coding system reveals the last of the entry, with "IV E4" meaning "Counter-Intelligence in Scandinavia." Conrad's cover as a spy was compromised after the Austrian Anschluss
of 1938, and he retired from the intelligence services soon after.
During the war O'Brien-ffrench also served as Imperial censor in Trinidad
.
In 1958, HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
took up residence at Fairholme Ranch during her Canadian visit of that year. It provided splendid views of Princess Margaret Mountain
named in honour of her visit.
"On July 28th the Princess drove from the ranch house where she was staying, a few miles outside of Banff, to visit the Banff School of Fine Arts, where she saw students from many parts of the Commonwealth at work."
The historic lodge was later carefully disassembled, moved and rebuilt just outside Stony Plain (near Edmonton
, Alberta).
and eventually retired to his chalet in Loveland, Colorado. He taught and exhibited art, living out his years painting and lecturing on Art and Philosophy and Theology.
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
, Captain in the Tipperary Rangers of the Royal Irish Regiment and 16th The Queen's Lancers
16th The Queen's Lancers
The 16th The Queen's Lancers was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 16th/5th Lancers in 1922.-History:...
in World War I, and Mountie for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. He was also an accomplished artist, linguist, mountaineer, skier and author.
Early life and education
He and his older brother Rollo (Rollo Adrien Vladimir Thursby Marie Altieri O'Brien-ffrench) spent their early childhood in Italy at Villa Torlonia (Frascati)
Villa Torlonia (Frascati)
The Villa Torlonia in Frascati is a villa belonging to the Torlonia family in Frascati, Italy.The land on which the villa was built originally belonged to the Abbey of Grottaferrata, which donated it in 1563 to Annibal Caro, who commissioned a small villa where he spent the last years of his life,...
in the Albany Hills, east of Rome, and then at Piazza dell'Indipendenza in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, where they received private tutoring in English, French and Italian. Returning to England, Conrad joined Rollo at the Wick, a preparatory school in the Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
district of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. Following Rollo's graduation, Conrad completed his prep school at St. Aubyn's Preparatory School in Rottingdean
Rottingdean
Rottingdean is a coastal village next to the town of Brighton and technically within the city of Brighton and Hove, in East Sussex, on the south coast of England...
, after which he attended Bradley Court Agricultural College in the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
, where he developed his lifelong interest in horsemanship, fox hunting and other country pursuits, and became a junior member of the Ledbury Hunt. During these years his other siblings, Yvonne (Yvonne Castelthomond O'Brien-ffrench) and Alexis (Alexis Evelyn Henry O'Brien-ffrench), were born.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. In April 1910, at age 17, Conrad sailed on the Empress of Britain for Quebec and continued west to join the Royal North-West Mounted Police in Saskatchewan.
After basic training Conrad was posted to Cypress Hills (Canada), a remote and untamed area. He was later posted to Willow Creek and then Battle Creek, but mid-1912 received word that his mother was dying from cancer. He purchased his release and returned to Esher
Esher
Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
to be by her side. She died the following summer.
During this time Conrad and friends took weekend trips to the Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
race track, where he was introduced to motor racing. Subsequently he purchased a 1909 Mercedes Simplex
Mercedes Simplex
The Mercedes Simplex was an car produced from 1902-09 by the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft . It continued the use of the Mercedes name as the brand of DMG, rather than Daimler....
and developed a taste for fast cars.
Military service
Battle of Mons
Royal Irish Regiment
The Royal Irish Regiment is an infantry unit of the British Army.-1992 creation:With an antecedence reaching back to 1689, the regiment was formed in 1992...
. In August 1914 he was promoted to Captain and engaged in the Battle of Mons
Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
with his regiment as part of the British Expeditionary Force. On the first day of battle he was severely wounded, captured and taken prisoner. He was held first at Torgau
Torgau
Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen.Outside Germany, the town is most well known as the place where during the Second World War, United States Army forces coming from the west met with forces of the Soviet Union...
, a Bismarckian fortress, and then at Burg de Magdeburg POW camp.
After numerous failed escape attempts, he was transferred to what was considered an escape-proof camp at Augustabad. Here Conrad began an exchange of letters with his friend Cathleen Mann, and through the use of invisible ink, transmitted details of troop movements and other strategic information gathered from incoming prisoners. One communication included information about a prototype German Bomber that he obtained from a captured British pilot. Her job as secretary to Stewart Menzies
Stewart Menzies
Major General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
of British counterintelligence, allowed a speedy relay of information through Menzies to Field Marshal Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
. Attempts were made to extract Conrad and the pilot to London, but these failed and Conrad remained in Augustabad.
MI6
Following the war, Conrad was summoned to WhitehallWhitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
in December 1918 to meet then Colonel Stewart Menzies
Stewart Menzies
Major General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
, who recruited Conrad into MI6. At the time, Menzies reported to Captain Mansfield Smith-Cumming
Mansfield Smith-Cumming
Captain Sir George Mansfield Smith-Cumming, KCMG, CB was the first director of what would become the Secret Intelligence Service , also known as MI6...
, the first head of the British Secret Service, who was called "C", a designation that remains to the present day (not the "M" of popular fiction). He was posted to the British Legation in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
as Assistant Military Attaché under the command of Major Dymoke Scale. While a POW, Conrad had learned fluent Russian, and was now tasked with gathering information from Russian refugees fleeing the aftermath of the 1917 revolution.
In 1920, Conrad was assigned to escort Russian diplomat Leonid Krasin
Leonid Krasin
Leonid Borisovich Krasin July 1870, Kurgan – November 24, 1926) was a Russian and Soviet Bolshevik politician and diplomat.-Early years:Krasin was born in Kurgan, near Tobol'sk in Siberia. His father, Boris Ivanovich Krasin was the local chief of police...
through countries hostile to the new Communist government to meet with Prime Minister Lloyd George in London for secret talks about the restoration of trade with the West. (Dispatches from Lord Acton, British Minister Plenipotentiary to the newly independent Finland, confirmed arrangements for a special train to meet the delegation and under heavy guard they traveled to Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland, then Sweden to reunite with Krasin's family, en route for England. This event, the first face-to-face meeting between Russian Communist leadership and the outside world, led to the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement
Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement
The Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement was an agreement signed on 16 March 1921 to facilitate trade between the United Kingdom and the Russian Socialist Federal Soviet Republic...
of March 1921.
Subsequently, the postwar depression and easing Soviet-British relations caused cutbacks to the Secret Service, and Conrad resigned from the service and returned to England.
India
Upon his return, Conrad was assigned as an Aide-de-campAide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to one of the British Governors for the upcoming Royal tour of India. Edward VIII, then the Prince of Wales, arrived in India on December 21, 1921, and stayed until April 1922. During this time the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
was in full swing, and the Royal tour was dogged by passive demonstrations and riots. The heavy handed response of the British to this resistance played a part in the end of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
In February 1922, Conrad witnessed a meeting requested by the Viceroy of India, Lord Reading (Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, PC, KC , was an English lawyer, jurist and politician...
), with the Prince to discuss the possible arrest of Mohandas K. Gandhi. On February 1, 1922, Gandhi had written a letter to the Viceroy informing him of the Bardoli
Bardoli
Bardoli is a city and a municipality in Surat Metropolitan Region in the state of Gujarat, India. Bardoli is the east most end of the Metropolis of Surat. Bardoli is one of the primary Satellite Towns of Surat Metropolitan Region.-Geography:...
district's decision to commence mass civil disobedience and non-payment of taxes, unless the Viceroy declared a policy of non-interference with non-violent activities.
On February 4, 1922, upon learning that the sub inspector of Chauri Chaura
Chauri Chaura
Chauri Chaura is a town near Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. The town is known most for an event in February 1922 during the British Raj when a police chowki was set on fire by a mob of angry citizens, killing 23 policemen inside.-Background:In the early 1920s, Indians, led by Mahatma Gandhi,...
police station assaulted Congress volunteers at Mundera Bazar
Mundera Bazar
Mundera Bazar is a town and a nagar panchayat in Gorakhpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Mundera Bazar had a population of 11,226. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Mundera Bazar has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the...
, an angry mob gathered at the station, demanding explanation from the guilty official. While the crowd marched on, shouting anti-government slogans, police fired warning shots agitating the crowds further. In response the crowd began throwing stones at the police, who were then ordered to open fire, killing three and wounding several others. The police retreated, some believe due to lack of ammunition while others attribute it to fear of the angry and courageous crowd. Chaos ensued and the heavily outnumbered police returned to the shelter of Thana (City Hall). The enraged crowd challenged the police to come out of their den, and on paying no heed, took revenge by setting the Thana on fire, killing 22 officers (including the station officer) who were trapped inside.
Gandhi did not support the violent actions, and consequently suspended the Non-cooperation movement
Non-cooperation movement
The non-cooperation movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British rule which lasted for years. This movement, which lasted from September 1920 to February 1922 and was led by Mohandas Gandhi, and supported by the Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist...
at its peak. British officials hoped to suppress the civil disobedience by arresting Gandhi, and on March 10, 1922, Lord Reading ordered Gandhi's arrest. The initial discussion that Conrad witnessed was now a reality, Gandhi had been arrested, tried and jailed, but the results were not as the British intended. Conrad experienced firsthand the transformative influence of one man as he peacefully expressed true character, and soon the control of the British Raj gave way to India's leadership.
Mountaineering
During Conrad's stay in India, he was introduced to mountaineering and the HimalayasHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. One of his more dangerous climbs was near Srinagar
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
in the Vale of Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. While climbing the Skoro La Pass, a mountain downpour created dangerous conditions, transforming the rocky cliff his party was ascending into an icy waterfall. A landslide, freezing conditions and dwindling light forced the team to rapidly forge an alternative route. Conrad led the team to safety, and ultimately to the summit.
Conrad explored the Himalayas, Austrian Alps and other world ranges, meeting Sir Francis Younghusband
Francis Younghusband
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, KCSI, KCIE was a British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer...
, Frank Smythe
Frank Smythe
Francis Sydney Smythe better known as Frank Smythe was a British mountaineer, author, photographer and botanist. He is best remembered for his mountaineering in the Alps and the Himalayas. He identified a region that he named the "Valley of Flowers", now a protected park...
, Sir John Hunt
John Hunt
John Hunt may refer to:*John Hunt , Quaker minister, originally from London, England, and one of the "Virginia Exiles"*John Hunt , Quaker minister and journalist from Moorestown, New Jersey...
and Sir Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
. In The May Mountaineer, Conrad describes skiing adventures among the towering peaks and glaciers of the Austrian Alps. When living in Banff, he often rock-climbed and ski'd in the Lake and Fairhome ranges. Elected to the Alpine Club
Alpine Club
The first Alpine Club, founded in London in 1857, was once described as:Today, Alpine clubs stage climbing competitions, operate alpine huts and paths, and are active in protecting the Alpine environment...
in 1933, Conrad became a lifelong member. The following are some of Conrad's earlier climbs, documented upon his nomination to the Alpine Club in London, England.
Expeditions
| Year | Mountain Range | Expeditions | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | Himalayas Himalayas The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau... , Pakistan |
From Srinagar Srinagar Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats... to Burzil Pass then over Burgi La to Scoro La and onto Mango Gusor (20,625 ft. / 6288 m.) |
Guide: H. Tantari |  |
| 1928 | Switzerland | Glacier of Arolla Arolla Glacier The Arolla Glacier is a long glacier situated in the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. In 1973 it had an area of .... (Pennine Alps Pennine Alps The Pennine Alps are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland and Italy... , canton of Valais Valais The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley... , Switzerland) to Mont Collon (11,932 ft /3,637 m, Pennine Alps) |
||
| Dent de Perroc Dent de Perroc The Dent de Perroc is a mountain in the Pennine Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais. It is located on the chain that separates the valley of Arolla on the west side from the Mont Miné Glacier on the east side.... (12,057 ft /3,675 m, Wallis, Switzerland) |
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| Aiguilles Rouges Aiguilles Rouges The Aiguilles Rouges are a crystalline mountainous massif of the French Prealps, opposite the Mont Blanc massif. The color of the iron rich gneiss mountains gives the range its name. The highest summit is the Aiguille du Belvédère at... (Switzerland) |
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| Mt. Arolee (in winter) | Guide: Camille Bonnisson | |||
| 1930 | Dolomites Dolomites The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley... , Italy |
Latimer from Col. Canon | ||
| Rosengarten. Gr. Cront & Pie. Gront. | ||||
| Langkofel Langkofel The Langkofel is a mountain in the Dolomites in South Tyrol, Italy.... (10,436 ft / 3,181 m, Dolomites, Italy) |
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| Piz Boè Sella group The Sella is a plateau shaped massif in the Dolomites mountains of northern Italy. The Sella lies north of the Marmolada and to the east of the Langkofel... (10,341 ft / 3,152 m, Dolomites, Sella group Sella group The Sella is a plateau shaped massif in the Dolomites mountains of northern Italy. The Sella lies north of the Marmolada and to the east of the Langkofel... , Italy) |
Guide: P. Dawetz | |||
| Marmolada Marmolada Marmolada is a mountain in northeastern Italy and the highest mountain of the Dolomites .... (10,964 ft / 3,342 m, Dolomites, Italy) |
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| Corono di Putla | ||||
| Mt. Telegrafo (Cima Telegrafo, 7,238 ft / 2,206 m, Italy) | ||||
| Pusanelle | ||||
| 1931 | Haute-Savoie Haute-Savoie Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont... , France |
Aiguille de Tré-la-Tête (12,894 ft / 3,930 m), to Aiguille de Beranger | ||
| Col de la Seigne (glacier, Mont Blanc) | ||||
| Col di Sanaorlis | ||||
| Cirque de Gavarnie Cirque de Gavarnie The Cirque de Gavarnie is a cirque in the central Pyrenees, in the Pyrenees National Park. The cirque is 800m wide and about 3000m wide at the top.Major features of the cirque are La Brèche de Roland and the Gavarnie Falls.... (central Pyrénées) |
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| McCauigon ind the Ridge from Pique de Rongeat to Cime de Pomerol | With Mrs. ffrench | |||
| 1932 | Islas Canarias, Lanzarote Lanzarote Lanzarote , a Spanish island, is the easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.9 km2, it stands as the fourth largest of the islands... , Spain |
Monte Corona Monte Corona Monte Corona is a 609m high extinct volcano on the Canary Island of Lanzarote , near the village of Yé in the municipality of Haría. Its eruption around 4000 years ago covered a large area of the northeast of the island with lava, creating the Malpais de la Corona and two of the island's... (1,985 ft / 605 m, Islas Canarias, Lanzarote, Spain) |
Volcano on Islas Canarias |  |
| Peaks from Col de Capronale towards Cap Binco Mountains | ||||
| Corsica Corsica Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia.... , région of France |
Capo al Berdato (peak in Corsica, France) | |||
| Corsica Corsica Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia.... , région of France |
Monte Cinto Monte Cinto Monte Cinto is the highest mountain on the island of Corsica, a région of France. Its altitude is 2,706 m and so is its prominence, making it one of the most prominent peaks in Europe.... (8,877 ft / 2,706 m, Corsica, France) |
Highest mountain on Corsica |  |
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| Theme to Asco (Haute Asco, valley in the north) | ||||
| Capu di u Vitullu (4,366 ft / 1,331 m, tallest summit of Les Calenche) | With Arthur Richardson Z. | |||
| 1933 | Vorarlberg Vorarlberg Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein... , Austria |
Hoher Riffler (10,393 ft / 3,168 m, Verwallgruppe, Tyrol, Austria) | Highest peak of Verwallgruppe |  |
| Pitz Burn | ||||
| Fluchthorn Fluchthorn The Fluchthorn or Piz Fenga is the second highest mountain in the Silvretta range, on the border between Austria and Switzerland. It consists of three summits of which the southern summit is the highest.... (12,451 ft / 3,795 m, Pennine Alps, Valais Region, Switzerland) |
2nd highest mountain in Silvretta Range | |||
| Sisaptauo | ||||
| Zimbra Zimbra Zimbra Collaboration Suite is a groupware product created by Zimbra, Inc., located in Palo Alto, California, USA. The company was purchased by Yahoo! in September 2007, and subsequently purchased by VMware on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The software consists of both client and server components... (8,678 ft / 2,645 m, Rätikon, Bludenz, Austria) |
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| 1933 | Hohe Tauern Range Hohe Tauern The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs... , Austria |
Schwarz Kopfit | Herras. Fritz Peterlitner | |
| Hasn Kogel | ||||
| Venediger Group (Hohe Tauern Range, Tyrol, Austria) | Climbed many peaks in this range |  |
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Art
Returning to England and to civilian life, Conrad explored a career in the arts. Years earlier, a hunt secretary commissioned Conrad to paint a series of hunting scenes that were subsequently published in a book. Encouraged by this, Conrad studied art at London's prestigious Slade School of Fine ArtSlade School of Fine Art
The Slade School of Fine Art is a world-renownedart school in London, United Kingdom, and a department of University College London...
under Professor Henry Tonks
Henry Tonks
Henry Tonks, FRCS was a British draughtsman and painter of figure subjects, chiefly interiors, and a caricaturist...
(1926–27), at the Byam Shaw School of Art under Ernest Jackson (1928–29), and at Andre Lhote
André Lhote
André Lhote was a French sculptor and painter of figure subjects, portraits, landscapes and still life. He was also very active and influential as a teacher and writer on art....
's Academy in Montparnasse
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
, Paris (1930–32). Student friends included Simon Elwes
Simon Elwes
Lt. Col. Simon Edmund Vincent Paul Elwes, better known as Simon Elwes, RP, RA, KM was a British war artist and society portrait painter whose patrons included kings, queens, statesmen, sportsmen, prominent social figures and many members of Britain's Royal Family...
, Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
, Guy Arnoux and Elena Mumm Thornton Wilson. Conrad worked out of his studio in the Parc Monsouri district and gained an increasing reputation for his portraitures.
Upon completion of his studies, Conrad traveled to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
with his father, painting and preparing for an exhibition at the Claridge Gallery in London. The exhibit's paintings and drawings included Jamaican scenes, as well as portraits of H.R.H. The Duchess of Pistoia, H.S.H. The Duchess d'Arenberg, Il Duca de La Tour Corio and Il Marchese di Castlethomond.
Exhibitions and Collections
Conrad has exhibited artwork in galleries and museums in Europe, Jamaica, Canada and the United States, including the following:- The Claridge Gallery, "Conrad ffrench", London, England, Oct. 16-30, 1930
- The Grand Salon, Group Exhibit, Paris, France, 1930's
- Art Collection of Whyte MuseumWhyte MuseumThe Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is located in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes available for research and education materials related to the cultural heritage of the Rocky Mountains of Canada and other mountains around the world...
of the Canadian Rockies
- Loveland Museum and Gallery, "Artistry in Living- The Life of Conrad O'Brien-ffrench", Loveland, Colorado, USA. Aug. 1- September 19, 1987.
- Monivea Artisan Garden Gallery, Exhibit of Paintings by Conrad O'Brien-ffrench, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada. Ongoing Exhibit
Teaching
Conrad taught art and held the positions of Faculty at the Banff School of Fine ArtsBanff Centre
The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
, Banff, Alberta, 1948; President of Rim Rock School of Fine Art, Loveland, Colorado, 1955; and Vice President of Water Wheel Gallery, Estes Park, Colorado, 1975.
Marriage and Family
On June 16, 1931 Conrad married Maud Astrid, the youngest daughter of Col. Bo Tarrass-Walhberg, of Stockholm, A.D.C. to King Gustave II of Sweden. They were married in Paris, honeymooned in London and Austria, and then settled in KitzbühelKitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
, Austria, where Conrad continued his work with the British Secret Service. The marriage produced a daughter, Christina Laetitia, and was dissolved in 1934. Conrad remarried on May 1, 1945, in London, England, to Rosalie Isabelle Baker, daughter of Ralph George Baker. They moved to Canada (see Fairholme Ranch) and had two sons, Rollo and John.
Return to Secret Service
Conrad had become a personal friend of Stewart MenziesStewart Menzies
Major General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
, who later (in 1939) was named head of the British Secret Service. He persuaded Conrad to rejoin the Secret Service (now as Agent Z3), and provided him with the cover of businessman. The newly formed Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
(SIS) network "Z" was taking shape under a variety of business covers, and Conrad established Tyrolese Tours offering package tours to Austria and Southern Germany. He based himself in Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
and proceeded to establish a spy network stretching from Austria deep into Southern Germany. While in Kitzbühel, Conrad met Peter Fleming and Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
, and they often crossed paths at homes of mutual friends, at bars, on the ski slopes or at the warm-water lake, the Shwartz Zee. Conrad's style, athletic endeavors, personal adventures and experience in espionage may have provided Ian Fleming with some of his inspirations for James Bond
Inspirations for James Bond
A number of real-life inspirations have been suggested for James Bond, the sophisticated fictional character and British spy created by Ian Fleming. Although the Bond stories were often fantasy-driven, they did incorporate some real places, incidents and, occasionally, organisations such as...
. He was also in attendance to Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, who used Kitzbühel as their first home after the abdication crisis of 1936.
Conrad provided intelligence on Nazi occultism and the build up of German forces in preparation for World War II. On Friday, March 11, 1938, Conrad received a message from an Austrian living near the Austrian/German border, reporting that German forces were advancing from Bad Toltz and Rosenheim
Rosenheim
Rosenheim is a town in Bavaria at the confluence of the rivers Inn and Mangfall. It is seat of administration of the district of Rosenheim, but is not a part of it.-Geography:...
towards the Austrian border. The timeliness of this information is critical to political and military manoeuvres. Knowing this, Conrad used the most expedient method available to transmit the message, phoning the report directly to London, even though it exposed his cover. He was told that this was the first news received from Allied capitals reporting the advance. Conrad continued to receive confirmations of the advance throughout the day. Through his local contacts he was able to warn residents, giving many in danger time to quickly pack and flee—saving lives. The ease of travel quickly changed, and by the next morning Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
officials were ripping soles from passengers' shoes in search of money and incriminating documents. At 9 a.m., Saturday morning, March 12, a large force of German troops entered Kitzbühel, with another at Mittenwald
Mittenwald
Mittenwald is a German municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria.-Geography:Mittenwald is located approx. 16 kilometers to the south-east of Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
to occupy Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
and the country west as far as the Arlberg Pass.
The Black Book
The Black Book was the post-war name given to the Sonderfahndungsliste G.B. , the list of prominent British to be arrested in the case of a successful invasion of Britain by Nazi Germany in World War II.-Background:The list was similar to earlier lists prepared by SS like the Special Prosecution...
(Sonderfahndungsliste G.B.). It includes the name of French, Marquis de Castelchomond (sic), O'Brien with the notation "brit. Agent, Kapitan." The 112th entry continues with "vermutl. England, RSHA IV E4 Stapoleit Munchen." The Reich Main Security Office, RSHA
RSHA
The RSHA, or Reichssicherheitshauptamt was an organization subordinate to Heinrich Himmler in his dual capacities as Chef der Deutschen Polizei and Reichsführer-SS...
, combined the SS Intelligence Service (the SD), Secret State Police (Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
), Criminal Police (Kripo) and Foreign Intelligence Service into an enormous organization, armed with the data and resources to commit mass murders. The RSHA coding system reveals the last of the entry, with "IV E4" meaning "Counter-Intelligence in Scandinavia." Conrad's cover as a spy was compromised after the Austrian Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of 1938, and he retired from the intelligence services soon after.
During the war O'Brien-ffrench also served as Imperial censor in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
.
Fairholme Ranch
Conrad married Rosalie Isabelle Baker, daughter of Ralph George Baker, on May 1, 1945, in London, England. After World War II Conrad and his wife moved to British Columbia, and purchased waterfront property on Maple Bay, Vancouver Island. Soon they moved again to "Fairholme Ranch," a property located five miles east of Banff, Alberta and within Banff National Park's boundaries. Conrad designed and helped to build a large 14-room lodge and a cottage at Fairholme, where he and Rosie raised their sons, Rollo and John. Conrad settled down to a new life of raising horses and teaching at The Banff School of Fine Arts. Founded in 1933 by Alberta University as a school of theatrical arts, The Banff School of Fine Arts expanded its curriculum and in 1948 Conrad joined the faculty to teach visual arts.In 1958, HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
took up residence at Fairholme Ranch during her Canadian visit of that year. It provided splendid views of Princess Margaret Mountain
Princess Margaret Mountain
Princess Margaret Mountain is a mountain located in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park, west of Mount Charles Stewart.The mountain was named in 1958 after Princess Margaret , who had visited Banff and spent a night in a location near the mountain....
named in honour of her visit.
"On July 28th the Princess drove from the ranch house where she was staying, a few miles outside of Banff, to visit the Banff School of Fine Arts, where she saw students from many parts of the Commonwealth at work."
The historic lodge was later carefully disassembled, moved and rebuilt just outside Stony Plain (near Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta).
Later years
Conrad lived in West Vancouverand eventually retired to his chalet in Loveland, Colorado. He taught and exhibited art, living out his years painting and lecturing on Art and Philosophy and Theology.
Biography
Delicate Mission, Autobiography of a Secret Agent is in many collections, including:- The Imperial War Museum
- The British Library
- http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/results/all?FormName=Fed+Simple+Search&SourceQuery=&ResultCount=5&PageNum=1&MaxDocs=-1&SortSpec=score+desc&Language=eng&SearchIn_1=&SearchInText_1=O%27Brien-ffrench&Operator_1=AND&SearchIn_2=&SearchInText_2=&Operator_2=AND&SearchIn_3=&SearchInText_3=&Sources_1=amicus&Sources_2=mikan&Sources_3=genapp&Sources_4=web&soundex=&cainInd=Library and Archives of Canada]
- White Museum of the Canadian Rockies
- The Alpine Club Library
Interviews
External links
- Artwork of Conrad O'Brien-ffrench at Monivea Artisan Garden Gallery http://www.moniveasaltspring.com/www.moniveasaltspring.com/Artisan_Gallery.html
- Ffrench Family Association: ffrenches of Monivea Castle http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA/CHARTSWEB/IREH9-10.htm
- Conrad Faulk O'Brien-ffrench. Artist and Spy http://00bien.tripod.com
- Conrad O'Brien-ffrench on FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conrad-OBrien-ffrench/149160208437341
- Follow on Twitter @OBrienffrench
- History of the Banff Centre (The Banff School of Fine Arts) http://www.banffcentre.ca/about/history/