1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: and Mild from aarin Manky listener Discretion Advised. Twenty miles 3 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: off the northern coast of France in the English Channel 4 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: is a small island called Sark. Today about five hundred 5 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: people live on the island two square miles of land, 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: which is situated atop sweeping granite cliffs. No cars are allowed. 7 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 2: On the island. The only ambulance is a converted tractor. Historically, 8 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: the residents have farmed and fished, and many still do today. 9 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: But there's something that makes this otherwise simply pleasant island 10 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: totally unique. Until two thousand and eight, it was ruled 11 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: as a feudal state. In fact, it was the very 12 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 2: last feudal state in Europe, officially overseen by a signor 13 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: or a dame, who owed allegiance only to the British Crown. 14 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 2: Many of the island's ancient customs lasted all the way 15 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: into the twenty first century. Divorce was forbidden, income tax 16 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 2: didn't exist, and only the feudal lord was permitted to 17 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 2: breed pigeons or own an unspayed female dog. The various 18 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 2: lords of this peculiar island. Over the centuries included knights 19 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: of Queen Elizabeth, the First, renowned statesmen serving under King 20 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: George the Third, and devious privateers commissioned by Queen Victoria. 21 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 2: But in nineteen twenty nine the title to Sark passed 22 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 2: to an unsuspecting figure, an American businessman. A man named 23 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 2: Robert Hathaway legally ruled Sark from nineteen twenty nine until 24 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 2: his death in nineteen fifty four. His tenure was anything 25 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 2: but uneventful. In nineteen forty the German army seized the island, 26 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: and in nineteen forty one a story broke out in 27 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: American newspapers that Robert, lovingly referred to as Bob by 28 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 2: his family, had been forced to plow the fields of 29 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 2: his island alongside his wife, Sibyl. The New York Daily 30 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: News reported quote, Cabbages and kings turn out to have 31 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 2: something in common. After all. Bob was allowed to send 32 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: letters to his relatives in America, but German censorship made 33 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: it nearly impossible to convey the gravity of their situation. 34 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 2: In the middle of the English Channel, the first American 35 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: lord of the last fiefdom in Europe languished alongside his neighbors. 36 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 2: Robert had never planned to become a feudal lord. He 37 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 2: had simply fallen in love with Sybil. He never planned 38 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: to stand side by side with the people of this 39 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: tiny Channel island amidst a war. But today he and 40 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 2: his wife both stand as two of the many heroes 41 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 2: in Sark's hallowed history. I'm Danish Schwartz and you're listening 42 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: to noble blood. In fifteen sixty three, Queen Elizabeth the 43 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: First of England granted the island of Sark to one 44 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 2: Sir Helier Decarterret. Queen Elizabeth inherited many islands in the 45 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: English Channel. Some were large, like the isles Guernsey and Jersey, 46 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 2: and some, like Sark, were tiny. Worried about a French 47 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: invasion and annoyed by pirate plaguing the English Channel, Elizabeth's 48 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: court stipulated that carter Itt bring forty men to Sark 49 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: from Jersey, each armed with muskets, in order to protect 50 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: and cultivate the land. To this day, descendants of those 51 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: first forty families still live on Sark. Until very recently, 52 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 2: those families retained the old custom of organizing a town 53 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 2: council that appointed a judge clerk and sheriff, all overseen 54 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: by the island lord, who held a limited veto power. 55 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 2: The island itself passed through many hands over the centuries. 56 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 2: Usually it was sold by a signor or dame who 57 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,119 Speaker 2: was hard for cash. Such was the case centuries later 58 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 2: when the great great grandfather of Sibyl Collings bought the 59 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 2: island of Sark in eighteen forty four because its former 60 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 2: landowner could no longer run its silver mines profitably. In 61 00:04:55,160 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: Sibyl's autobiography, she describes her grandfather as a t and 62 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 2: skilled statesman. In contrast, this is how she describes her 63 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 2: own father, William, who would become lord after his father quote, Unfortunately, 64 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: my father was extremely insubordinate, madly obstinate, fiercely self opinionated, 65 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: and prone to outbursts of uncontrolled rage. Needless to say, 66 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 2: Sybil did not get along with her father growing up. 67 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 2: She was forcibly sent off to a convent in France 68 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 2: against her will at fourteen. After she returned, she considered 69 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: marrying a British army officer who allegedly fell madly in 70 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: love with her. Sybil's mother broached the topic of that 71 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 2: marriage to Sybil's father but that only made him furious. 72 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 2: One night, Sybil bravely demanded that her father let her 73 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: do as she wished. Three weeks later, her father woke 74 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 2: her up in the middle of the night and violently 75 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: threw her out of the house. If it weren't for 76 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 2: the secret intervention of Sybil's mother, Sybil wouldn't have been 77 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 2: able to escape the island safely or rendezvous with her 78 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 2: British officer Dudley in London for their wedding. In nineteen 79 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: o nine, the couple settled down in England and had 80 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: their first child, a daughter, Bridget, the following year. This 81 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 2: prompted Sibyl's father, William, to reconnect with his daughter, congratulating 82 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: her but also lamenting that she hadn't given birth to 83 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 2: a son. In his first letter to Sybil after a 84 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 2: whole year of silence, he wrote, quote, sorry it was 85 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 2: a vixen. Sybil occasionally returned to Sark, sometimes tending to 86 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: her ailing mother, other times preventing her father from damaging 87 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 2: the island's reputation any more than he already had. In 88 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: her own words, quote he had never provided me with 89 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 2: a settlement, nor given me a penny, but I was 90 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 2: his heir, and I loved the island passionately, more than 91 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 2: anything or anyone in the world. When the time came, 92 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: I intended to do as much for Sark as my 93 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: grandfather had done. This was my future, and I had 94 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 2: no intention of allowing father to take it away from me. 95 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: Sybil officially moved back to Sark in nineteen twelve with 96 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 2: her children and took up cattle breeding. When her husband, 97 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 2: Dudley unexpectedly passed away from the Spanish flu in nineteen eighteen, 98 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 2: she was left with nothing but a widow's pension to 99 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 2: raise six children on. Her father refused every request for money, 100 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 2: Sybil had no choice but to move wherever she could 101 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: to support her family, from the nearby island of Guernsey 102 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:54,239 Speaker 2: to Germany. Finally, in nineteen twenty seven, after a forty 103 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: five year reign, Sibyl's father died and Sybil took over 104 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: Sark with a new vision for the island. She assured 105 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: her five hundred or so subjects that she would maintain 106 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 2: the traditions of the past, and then proceeded to lead 107 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: a whole slew of changes, from a new harbor to 108 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:20,239 Speaker 2: renovations on the family's manor to reinstating tithes of wheat 109 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 2: and chickens to help fund all the projects. Her intention 110 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 2: was partly to make the island more suitable for tourists, 111 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 2: largely English tourists. Some of the culturally French Islanders feared 112 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 2: becoming Anglicized. Even while the new Dame of Sark was 113 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 2: busy reinventing the island, she found time to travel and 114 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 2: schmooze with the wealthy and well connected. Before embarking on 115 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 2: a holiday to the United States, a friend in London 116 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:56,599 Speaker 2: insisted that she dine with an American businessman named Bob Hathaway. 117 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 2: Bob was not an aristocrat, but he did come from 118 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 2: an elite, distinguished American family. His father was a Wall 119 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 2: Street banker, and his family had made it big in 120 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 2: the publishing industry. He had graduated from Yale in nineteen 121 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 2: thirteen and then with friends, had enlisted in the United 122 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 2: Kingdom's Royal Flying Corps to support the Allies in the 123 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 2: First World War. Bob was an avid golfer and tennis player, 124 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 2: but if there was one thing he loved more than sports, 125 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 2: it was gin. He joked with Sybil that he left 126 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 2: the US for the UK because of prohibition In fact, 127 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 2: he had actually moved to London to work with the 128 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 2: sporting goods company Spoulding, Yes, the same one famous for 129 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 2: their basketballs. But Bob insisted that he only took the 130 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 2: job because of the free golf balls. If there's one 131 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: thing that shines about Bob through the fragments that we 132 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 2: have of him, it's his sense of humor, which was 133 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 2: no doubt a plus for Sibyl throughout their whirlwind courtship. 134 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 2: The day after they got to know each other over lunch, 135 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 2: Sybil boarded her ship for her vacation in America, and 136 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 2: she found her cabin full of flowers sent by Bob. 137 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 2: When she reached New York, Bob's older brother, Stuart and 138 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 2: his wife Helen warmly welcomed and hosted Sibyl. When Sybil 139 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 2: boarded the boat for her return of voyage, she was 140 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 2: greeted with even more flowers from Bob and a message 141 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 2: inviting her to dinner when she arrived back in London. 142 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 2: Sybil recollects quote, it had become clear that this tall, 143 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: lean Yankee was not only an entertaining companion, but a 144 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 2: very determined man. I am a strong minded woman, but 145 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 2: this time I had met my match. It took no 146 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: longer than three weeks for the two of them to 147 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: decide to get married in nineteen twenty nine. The tabloids 148 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,719 Speaker 2: pounced on their wedding as another curio streaming from the 149 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: all already curious Channel Islands. Headlines on London papers read 150 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: woman Ruler to wed and woman Ruler's romance. One paper 151 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 2: even described Bob as Sibyl's consort. He did, after all, 152 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: willingly give up his job to go live with her 153 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 2: on the island. When the newly wedded couple reached Sark, 154 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 2: they were greeted by a whole procession of islanders carrying 155 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 2: flags and flowers. Upon seeing the small island that would 156 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 2: be home for the rest of his life, Bob jokingly 157 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 2: complained that there was nowhere to install his own golf course. 158 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 2: But Bob was in for an even greater surprise than 159 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 2: no golf on the island. As Sybil remembered it, Bob 160 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 2: turned to her and said, I never knew the Dame 161 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 2: of Sark was such an important person. Why they treated 162 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 2: you like royalty? Sybil gave him a smug look, my 163 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 2: poor Bob, You've got a shock coming to you. The 164 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: signor of Sark is a more important person than Ladame. 165 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 2: Under our old feudal laws, a husband owns everything that 166 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 2: his wife possesses, and this applies to the lordship of 167 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 2: the land. Bob sat there, dumbfounded. At first, he was resistant. 168 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: The both of them left Sark after a week for 169 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 2: the Isle of Guernsey, where Sybil called upon an expert 170 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 2: of feudal law who confirmed Bob's worst fears. To make 171 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: matters even more complicated to the new Yankee royal divorce 172 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 2: was not legal according to Sark's ancient custom. Lawfully, Bob 173 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 2: of America had become a feudal lord of Europe, and 174 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 2: there wasn't anything he could do about it. Make no mistake, 175 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 2: Just because Bob Hathaway legally ruled over Sark doesn't mean 176 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 2: he did so in practice. Like the king he was, 177 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 2: Bob was happy to relinquish any real power vested in 178 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 2: him to Sibyl, who carried on her administration of the island. 179 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 2: Bob would officially preside over council meetings, but he needed 180 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 2: Sibyl's help translating the French petois the locals spoke. He 181 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 2: never voiced an opinion unless one was asked of him. 182 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 2: American journalists who visited the island and had heard about 183 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: the American Lord were surprised to find that Bob wore 184 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 2: ordinary clothes, and when visitors stopped to ask him questions, 185 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 2: he would just respond that he was a visitor too. 186 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 2: As Sybil remembered it, Bob fit right in. He grew 187 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 2: to love the fishing and farming that living on the 188 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 2: island entailed. In times of difficulty, he supported Sibil with 189 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 2: a compassion and a partnership that starkly contrasted with her 190 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 2: childhood experiences of her parents. Many settling into sark also 191 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 2: didn't mean relinquishing their holidays. The newly wedded couple traveled 192 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 2: with Bob's mother to Germany and France in the nineteen thirties. 193 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 2: Sybil voyaged to the British colony of Burma. In nineteen 194 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: thirty six. They returned to the United States, taking trains 195 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 2: from New York to Washington, d c. To San Francisco, 196 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 2: whining and dining with politicians, Hollywood stars, and famed industrialists 197 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: abroad in America, Sibyl took the opportunity to spread the 198 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: word about her tiny home island. In nineteen thirty two, 199 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: she penned an article about Sark for the National Geographic 200 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 2: that intrigued the editors so much that she was later 201 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 2: invited in nineteen thirty eight to deliver a lecture in Washington. 202 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 2: That was just the start of a whole lecture tour 203 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: that heaped more and more intrigue upon the exotic island 204 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 2: void of cars, income tax, unemployment, unions, or real politicians. 205 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 2: But when Sybil and Bob returned to Sark, it was 206 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 2: to face an unpleasant reality. War was beginning to brew 207 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 2: in Europe. On September one, nineteen thirty nine, Nazi Germany 208 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 2: invaded Poland. The United Kingdom declared war on Germany two 209 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 2: days later. The following months were unnerving for an isolated 210 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 2: island nation. At first, the only thing that really changed 211 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 2: for the people of Sark were the BBC radio reports, 212 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 2: which documented the first stages of the German campaign. The 213 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 2: war became just a little more real when news broke 214 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 2: that Germany invaded Belgium, and then that it had invaded France. 215 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 2: On June ninth, nineteen forty the residents of Sark could 216 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 2: see off toward the coast of France, a dark plume 217 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: of smoke drifting upwards. The French were blowing up oil 218 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: storage tanks before making their retreat. Refugees from the continent 219 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 2: passed through Guernsey and Jersey, delivering news of the invasion. 220 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 2: The British army reasoned that they could not protect the 221 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 2: Channel island, which were so far from British shores, so 222 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 2: they called back their entire military presence and took in 223 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 2: any islander who wanted to flee. Sybil reassured her neighbors 224 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: that she would stay put. Occupation would be difficult, and 225 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 2: they might go hungry, but they had their land and 226 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 2: they had their farms. In the end, no sarkborne person 227 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 2: decided to leave. All they could do was sit and 228 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 2: wait for the enemy to come. Sybil anticipated German officers 229 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 2: would want to speak to her to discuss the terms 230 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:07,199 Speaker 2: of their occupation. She was eager to project confidence and 231 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 2: strength against the invaders. She worked with Bob to rearrange 232 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 2: their manner such that the couple would appear imperious to visitors. 233 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: For example, she rearranged the drawing room in her house 234 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 2: so that their visitors would have to walk a long 235 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 2: distance before settling down at the table. She instructed their 236 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 2: maid to announce the officers as though they were any 237 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 2: other guest. As the German officers approached the manner, Sybil 238 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 2: noted that they wiped their shoes before coming in. She 239 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,959 Speaker 2: took that to be at least a small good sign 240 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 2: the Germans intended to deal with the locals with at 241 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 2: least some hospitality. Two Nazi officers visited her and Bob 242 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 2: on that day, and they produced a document with new 243 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 2: orders for the island, a curfew, confiscation of all firearms, 244 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 2: the banning of alcohol, no assembly of more than five persons, 245 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 2: and no one was to leave the island without express permission. 246 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 2: The rulers of Sark had no choice but to accept 247 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 2: the demands, though it's notable that they were the only 248 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 2: leaders of any of the Channel islands who never once 249 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 2: signed any German orders. The Nazi army officially took control 250 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 2: over Sark with ten soldiers on July fourth. Bob our 251 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 2: American remarked that it was quote a hell of a 252 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 2: day on which to be occupied. Sark's people found small 253 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 2: ways of rebelling right from the get go. Sybil prominently 254 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 2: displayed banned anti fascist books in her home. She and 255 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 2: Bob never turned over their banned radio set, which would 256 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 2: prove to be a lifesaver over the next five years. 257 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 2: The soldiers were especially concerned that sarks Fi fishermen could 258 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: use their boats to escape to England, despite the fact 259 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 2: that no fishing boat could ever make it that far. 260 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 2: The Germans set up a fixed time of day for fishing, 261 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 2: an absurd proposition to the island, who knew that fishing 262 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 2: depended on the tide, which was often unpredictable. The Germans 263 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 2: relented and allowed the fishermen on their tiny boats throughout 264 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,919 Speaker 2: the day, but only if accompanied by a soldier. The 265 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 2: Sark fishermen reportedly had loads of fun steering their boats 266 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 2: into big waves and watching the soldiers get sick. The 267 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 2: people of Sark had virtually no contact with the outside world, 268 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 2: and so relied almost entirely on the Germans for their news. 269 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 2: They didn't know the Nazis failed to invade Britain, they 270 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 2: could only hope for Allied victories. Bob Sibil and almost 271 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 2: every other person on Sark were simply concerned with sur 272 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 2: Over the first year of the occupation, the island ran 273 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 2: out of sugar, tea, coffee, and tobacco. They couldn't count 274 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 2: on food imports, so they made do with lobsters from 275 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 2: their coast and rabbits from their fields. As American newspaper 276 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 2: readers were soon to find out, the King and Queen 277 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 2: of the island were forced to grow their own cabbages. 278 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 2: These difficult conditions took a turn for the worse in 279 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 2: nineteen forty two, when five British commandos conducted a secret 280 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 2: operation on Sark to gather intelligence and capture prisoners. The 281 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 2: commandos broke into the home of a woman named Missus Prittert, 282 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 2: who helped them locate some of the German soldiers on 283 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 2: the island, but the tiny British invading force was able 284 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 2: to capture only one German soldier before sailing away. The 285 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 2: Germans used the invasion to justify clamp down on the locals. 286 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:07,480 Speaker 2: Even more soldiers unspooled miles of barbed wire around the 287 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:13,479 Speaker 2: island's perimeter. They also placed thirteen thousand land mines around 288 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 2: the island's cliffs. Sibil wrote that the mines were sometimes 289 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 2: put on top of the island's best agricultural land. The 290 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 2: Germans had already deported thirteen Sark residents early in nineteen 291 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 2: forty two. By February nineteen forty three, they called for 292 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 2: another sixty three people. Bob was among them. Bob and 293 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 2: Sibil were well aware of the horrors of German camps 294 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 2: thanks to their illegal radio. They also knew that fighting 295 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 2: back would be pointless. In Sibyl's recollections, Bob was the 296 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 2: rock that had gotten her through the occupation. He continued 297 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 2: to help oversee the island's finances and policies, of course, 298 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,719 Speaker 2: but more in poor certainly, his companionship had offered a 299 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 2: space to resist and laugh amidst their absurd and horrific conditions. 300 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 2: We don't have any written reflections of this time from Bob, 301 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 2: but we can expect that he thought similarly of Sibyl. 302 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 2: The day of Bob's departure was cold and wet. Rain 303 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 2: pelted down from a gray sky and showered all the parents' 304 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 2: children and partners, who were bidding farewell to their loved ones, 305 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: unsure how long they'd be apart. Bob joined prisoners from 306 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 2: other Channel islands at Laffen, a small medieval town in 307 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 2: Bavaria with a castle that the Nazis converted into a 308 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 2: prisoner of war camp. As one might expect, the living 309 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 2: conditions in the camp were horrid. Plenty of prisoners were 310 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 2: kept at the brink of starvation. Sybil was able to 311 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 2: mail letters to Laufen, and Bob was able to send 312 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 2: messages to friends in England who could pass censored notes 313 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 2: to Sybil. Eventually, Sybil tried sending her husband more than 314 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 2: just letters. She would give over onions which might at 315 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 2: least provide some flavor to his soups. In addition to 316 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 2: small doses of illegal whiskey and brandy that she sent 317 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 2: in inconspicuous medicine bottles, she sent what she could, even 318 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:31,880 Speaker 2: as the Germans cut the island's rations again in nineteen 319 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 2: forty three. Sybil wasn't too worried about the adults on 320 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 2: the island, but she feared greatly for the island's children, 321 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 2: who never had a steady supply of milk. Germany's victories 322 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 2: were being reversed throughout early nineteen forty four, but nothing 323 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 2: boosted the morale of the Sark inhabitants as much as 324 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 2: news of D Day. A German doctor whispered news of 325 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 2: the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy, mere miles 326 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 2: from the Channel Islands. Secret news passed by way of pamphlet, 327 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 2: illegal radio, or word of mouth, and it all helped 328 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 2: counteract the German propaganda that painted Britain as a sea 329 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 2: of flames and the rest of the Allies as totally inept. 330 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 2: As retaliation, after d Day, the Germans once again severely 331 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:29,199 Speaker 2: cut the rations of the Channel Islanders. The people of 332 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:34,959 Speaker 2: Sark celebrated their annual harvest festival with mere symbolic gestures 333 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 2: because no one could exchange the typical gifts of soap, bread, tobacco, 334 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 2: butter or eggs. The days dragged on and the people 335 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 2: of Sark had less and less. When the Allies cut 336 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 2: off the German army stationed in the Channel Islands from 337 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 2: the continent, Sark's occupiers began cutting their own rations. Some 338 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 2: began sealing the local cows, pigs, and chickens to eat. 339 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 2: Others were so desperate that they stole cats and dogs. 340 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 2: The German officers scrambled to preserve some authority in the 341 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 2: final months of the occupation, but they could do little 342 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 2: in the face of an inevitable counter attack. On May seventh, 343 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:25,719 Speaker 2: nineteen forty five, all the inhabitants of Sark gathered around 344 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 2: Sibyl's radio to hear Winston Churchill addressed the Channel Islands 345 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 2: and declared that they were free. The Dame of Sark 346 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 2: was granted full authority over the island by the incoming 347 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 2: British army. Her first orders were for the German soldiers 348 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,360 Speaker 2: to install a telephone line at her house, to remove 349 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 2: all of the land mines that they had laid around, 350 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 2: and to hand back everyone's radios. Seemingly overnight, it was 351 00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 2: German officers coming to Sibyl for their orders. Survived the occupation, 352 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 2: Weary but resilient, Bob and Sybil had a bitter sweet reunion. 353 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 2: She wrote of him, quote the moment I caught sight 354 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 2: of him at the harbor, I realized that he must 355 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 2: not guess for my expression how his appearance shook me. 356 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 2: He had always been a lean man. Now he was 357 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 2: nothing more than a bag of bones. Getting back to 358 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 2: a normal routine took time, but Sark and its people 359 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 2: grew vigorous once more. Experts from the Ministry of Health 360 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 2: came to examine the island children. New doctors and school 361 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 2: teachers were hired for the island. Sybil and Bob worked 362 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:48,639 Speaker 2: tirelessly to fund a new Harbor. The Hathaways left to 363 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:52,880 Speaker 2: visit Bob's family in America in nineteen forty six, and 364 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 2: Sybil embarked on a North American lecture tour once again. 365 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 2: There was one occasion in Toronto where she and speak. 366 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 2: Due to losing her voice, Bob took over, but disregarded 367 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 2: all of her notes. He delivered a handful of funny remarks, 368 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 2: and the Toronto papers heralded him as quote a new 369 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 2: star with a wit as dry as paper. The high 370 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 2: point of this post war era for Sark was probably 371 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 2: a royal visit in nineteen forty nine, which coincided with 372 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 2: the completion of the new Harbor. Nearly the whole island 373 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 2: gathered at the harbor to welcome then Princess Elizabeth and 374 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 2: Prince Philip, and it was Bob who began the official 375 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 2: ceremony with an address to the royal couple that recounted 376 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 2: Sark's history since the days of Elizabeth the First. A 377 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 2: video of his speech can actually be found on YouTube, 378 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 2: and you'll notice that in the middle of it, a 379 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 2: stray dog wanders through the crowd and goes up to 380 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 2: the future Queen Elizabeth the Second for a pet It 381 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 2: appears that all of the subjects of Sark wanted to 382 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 2: pay their respects to the Crown. Sark had more than 383 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:14,360 Speaker 2: just recovered from the five years of perilous occupation. Sybil's 384 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 2: dream of converting the island into a tourist attraction succeeded 385 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 2: thanks both to her extensive lecture series and the New Harbor, 386 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 2: a royal visit publicized on the BBC. No doubt helped 387 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 2: as well. Her autobiography speaks to her bold personality and 388 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 2: fighting spirit. Sybil never backed down from her father, from 389 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 2: family crises, or from the German occupation. What of Bob, 390 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 2: What sort of impact did he have on Sark, and 391 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 2: what sort of imprint did Sark leave on him? Only 392 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 2: five weeks before Bob's death, he and Sibil through an 393 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 2: island wide party in nineteen fifty four to celebrate their 394 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 2: twenty fifth wedding anniversary, replete with barrels of wine and 395 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: wedding cake. He raised his glass and delivered these lines 396 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 2: to the people of Sark, his unexpected fiefdom quote. I 397 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 2: shall not call you ladies and gentlemen, but just my friends, 398 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 2: for you have given me your friendship, which I have 399 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 2: valued for twenty five years. That's the strange story of 400 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 2: the Dame and Lord of Sark during the occupation. But 401 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 2: keep listening after a brief sponsor break to hear a 402 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 2: little bit more about the idiosyncrasies of Sark. Sark's history 403 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 2: of strange and unexpected events did not end with Robert 404 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: and Sybil Hathaway. In nineteen ninety, an unemployed nuclear physicist 405 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 2: named Andre Gardis conducted a one man invasion of Sark. 406 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 2: He believed himself the rightful heir to the throne of 407 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 2: the island, so naturally he printed out and posted up 408 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 2: notices around Sark expressing his intention to take over. The 409 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 2: following day, the only law enforcement on the island, the 410 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 2: volunteer police officer, went off looking for Andre. He found 411 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 2: him sitting on a park bench dressed in military gear, 412 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 2: loading an automatic rifle. According to one story, all the 413 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 2: constable had to do was compliment Andre on his choice 414 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 2: of weapon and ask him if he could inspect it 415 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:46,959 Speaker 2: more closely. Andre obliged, handing the constable the rifle, and 416 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 2: then he got punched in the face. Andrea was arrested 417 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 2: and in one fell swoop. The most ambitious invasion attempt 418 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 2: of Sark came to an end. It's not entirely clear 419 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 2: what happened to Honor and afterwards, because Sark does not 420 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 2: really have a jail. Noble Blood is a production of 421 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 2: iHeart Radio and Grimm and Mild from Aaron Manky. Noble 422 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 2: Blood is hosted by me Danish Forts, with additional writing 423 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 2: and researching by Hannah Johnston, Hannah Zewick, Courtney Sender, Julia Milani, 424 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 2: and Armand Cassam. The show is edited and produced by 425 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 2: Noemy Griffin and rima Ill Kali, with supervising producer Josh 426 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 2: Thain and executive producers Aaron Manky, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. 427 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 428 00:31:51,280 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 2: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.