The secret life and times of one of Australia’s most enigmatic spies Mercia Masson will be discussed at Wagstaffe Hall on Sunday afternoon, October 8.
The event will celebrate the newly published book My Mother the Spy, co-authored by Masson’s daughter Cindy Dobbin and Freda Marnie Nicholls.
As you drive along Beach Drive toward Killcare Beach, you will be forgiven for overlooking the inconspicuous Masson Lane nestled to your left.
Yet within this narrow lane lies a house that is part of a captivating historical narrative—the life of Mercia Masson, a remarkable individual who straddled the worlds of journalism and covert espionage as an operative for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).
Masson was handpicked in 1949 by the then newly formed ASIO to infiltrate the heart of the Australian Communist Party and unearth potential espionage networks.
Astonishingly, her dual existence remained shrouded even from her own daughter, Cindy Dobbin, until after Masson’s death in 1975.
The new book, My Mother, The Spy: The Daring and Tragic Double Life of ASIO Agent Mercia Masson, launched by Allen & Unwin in August, has earned acclaim from notable reviewers, including in The Australian and Sydney Morning Herald (Non-Fiction Pick of the Week).
It is an enigmatic chronicle of Mercia Masson, a tale that intertwines espionage, secrecy and a daughter’s
resolute quest for truth.
Cindy Dobbin’s journey to uncover the enigma surrounding her mother’s clandestine life commenced when she gained unprecedented access to ASIO Headquarters in Canberra in 2011.
She was shown a selection of her mother’s documents – with large portions blacked out – which provided illuminating insights, albeit not every puzzle piece,
This fueled her relentless quest to decipher her mother’s labyrinthine life – a quest that had eluded her for so many years and is still opaque in certain aspects.
The Bouddi Society will host an extraordinary event at 2 pm on Sunday, October 8, at Wagstaffe Hall.
It will feature Dobbin and co-author Freda Marnie Nicholls, engaging in dialogue about the life of the enigmatic spy.
Facilitating the conversation will be David Abrahams, Managing Editor of Coast Community News.
The exchange will cast light on pivotal junctures in Mercia Masson’s journey, encompassing her outing as an ASIO agent during the 1955 Royal Commission on Espionage in the aftermath of the Petrov defection.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to secure signed copies of My Mother the Spy.
Tickets are available at Wagstaffe General Store, at the door or via Eventbrite.com.au and search for My Mother the Spy.
Source:
Peter Park, The Bouddi Society