The day farmer Milly unearthed a German spy

Born in 1879, she took over Marigolds Farm and kept chickens and a few cows, selling the milk and eggs at Lewes and Hailsham markets.

But Milly was also a go-getter.

As described by Sharon Searle in her fine book Sussex Women (JAK Books), Milly started specialising in breeding Speckled Sussex and other rare chicken breeds.

Milly later moved the short distance to The Hale, near Chiddingly, where she began farming on a larger scale.

She was absolute ruler on the farm, building and thatching haystacks herself with great skill.

During World War One, she took on the job on training Land Girls, a task she carried out with great vigour.

She was sitting in the house one day when she saw a blue flash go up in one of the corn fields. She informed the military and they arrested a German spy.

It turned out he had been using the fields as a signalling position.

Holidays were often taken with her friend, Lady Julian Parr. Milly never married.

They travelled to places like the Pyrenees, traversing the mountains on foot with donkeys and crossing gorges on precarious rope bridges.

In World War Two she was an ARP Warden and had a rifle range on her land.

In Chiddingly, she founded the local horticultural society and Women's Institute. She was also a church warden, a school inspector, a governor of Hellingly Hospital, a local councillor and the local stoolball captain.

In her 40s, she was leading a bull by a chain attached to a ring in its nose when she slipped. The startled bull charged off and stubborn Milly, refusing to let go of the chain, suffered two broken legs and a damaged knee that gave her trouble for the rest of her life.

When she was in her 60s, another near disaster happened.

The bees she kept in her hive suddenly swarmed and she was stung more than 100 times. Her body came up like a balloon but she again survived.

Milly died, aged 89, in 1969. Her final years were spent alone at Hale guarded by six cats and a revolver which she fired out of the window if she heard a noise.

What a woman!

DUBLIN resident Ailbhe Maher is working on a one hour television documentary on Michael Collins, the Irish revolutionary leader and director of intelligence for the IRA.

And she is seeking help from Rouser readers about a Seaford connection.

Collins was a member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations, both as chairman of the provisional government and Commander-in-Chief of the National Army.

Said Albhe: 'I am working on a one hour documentary on Michael Collins's intelligence war which led to Ireland becoming a Free State in 1922.

'Collins was the first Irish leader to create an intelligence department. He had spies at the heart of the British administration in Dublin Castle.

'In an 18 month period, he managed to bring the British administration to its knees, leaving them with no other option than peace negotiations.

'The negotiations were conducted by a group of men which the British Prime Minister Lloyd George sent to Dublin.

'The key man in this group was Alfred W Cope, known as Andy.

'While his colleagues feared leaving Dublin Castle if they weren't under armed guard, Andy Cope walked straight out to make contact with the IRA leaders. He was the one to be found in dark alleys and sneaking in and out of safe houses.

'Cope's colleagues have left accounts of his work but he left no personal account that we know of. But I know that Cope was a resident of Seaford when he died in 1954.

'I don't know if he ever married or had children. He was a secretive man.

'I am wondering if there are any family or friends still in the area who would have spoken to him about his days in Ireland or even if there are some papers sitting in an attic.'

Can anyone help?

Rouser would like to know and Ailbhe can be contacted at Mint Productions, 205 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, Ireland.