History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

In 1949 by chance, Paul Doyle met Gladys Davies on the Underground and they both got off at West Hampstead station. Gladys worked as a secretary in the West End. Over time, they developed a relationship and Paul visited her home at 31 Lyncroft Gardens. He said he was an MI5 army major undertaking highly secret work with the Special Branch. He left her house punctually at 10.00, telling Gladys he had to take a car from West Hampstead police station (then near the Underground station), on a regular journey to Scotland Yard where he was working on attachment. They planned to get married and Gladys lent him money which he needed to contest his mother’s will. He said he would get between £7,000 and £12,000 when the case in the High Court was resolved. He received over £4,000 from Gladys and her friend Ada Webster who lived in the same house. By 1955, Gladys had only £3 16s 11d left in her bank account when she went to the police. After investigating the ‘major’, Chief Inspector James ...