Edith Tudor Hart, who ran an antiques shop in Brighton in the late 1960s, appeared to be a refined dealer with an aristocratic air. In reality, she had once been a Russian secret agent who played a pivotal role in recruiting Kim Philby into Soviet espionage before the Second World War. Later described by fellow spy Anthony Blunt as 'the grandmother of us all', she was a central figure in the network that became known as the Cambridge Five.

Born into a left-leaning Jewish family in Austria, she fled to Britain in 1933 as fascism spread across Europe. A brief marriage secured her British citizenship and safety from the persecution that claimed many of her relatives. Deeply committed to communist ideals and driven by opposition to fascism and poverty, she worked without pay for Soviet intelligence, believing she was serving a greater social good.

Alongside her covert activities, Tudor Hart built a respected career as a photographer trained at the Bauhaus school, documenting working-class life with empathy and artistry. Her images appeared in leading British magazines and often highlighted stark social inequalities. Using her charm and social connections, she introduced Philby to his Soviet handler, setting in motion one of the most damaging spy cases in British history.

After other members of the spy ring defected to Moscow, British security services intensified their scrutiny of her, searching her home and interrogating her in 1952. Though she denied involvement, disillusionment with the brutality of Joseph Stalin's regime and mounting pressure took their toll. She eventually withdrew into a quiet life in Brighton, living among her antiques and photographic work, carrying the secrets of her past alone.