Baker And Mom Of Three Spent Years Hiding Her Secret Identity From Those Around Her
Sonya Burton lived in a quaint English village, where her neighbors didn't suspect her of anything besides hogging her delicious scone recipe. They should have suspected something more. It wasn't until decades later when Sonya revealed her true identity. "Mrs. Burton" had been just one of many aliases for a skilled infiltrator, which led some to call the mysterious woman "the greatest spy in history."
Home Skills
As World War II gave way to the simmering Cold War, Sonya Burton tended to her husband and three children. When the dedicated homemaker was not caring for family or running a bakeshop, however, Sonya was secretly communicating with some less-than-trustworthy individuals about confidential plans. Nobody learned the truth for years.
A Notable Town
Sonya's family lived in Cotswolds of Great Rollright, a place steeped in English history. Great Rollright had taken its name from the Rollright stones, a nearby circle of Bronze-age stone monuments, that were said to have been bewitched.
Historical Tale
Folklore held that the stones were once a king and his knights, who were cursed and transformed by a witch. It seemed fitting, in hindsight, that Sonya's secrecy added to the village's colorful history. The neighbors believed Mrs. Burton was nothing more than a loving housewife. How wrong they were.
Inside the House
Within Sonya's home in Cotswolds, a radio transmitter was hidden in the outside toilet. This was her connection to her broader network. While her husband, Len Burton, was another undercover agent, it was Sonya who managed to successfully pull off one of the greatest espionage acts of the 20th century.
