When was Christopher William Clayton Hutton born?

Christopher William Clayton Hutton (1893–1965) a soldier, airman, journalist and inventor, was recruited as an intelligence officer to work for MI9, a branch of the British Military Intelligence, during the Second World War. Known as 'Clutty' to his friends, he was engaged towards the end of 1939 by the War Office to work under Major (later Brigadier) Norman Crockatt, in order to set up and run operations to create and distribute escape and evasion aids for Allied servicemen. Hutton's small team identified suitable manufacturers, ensured supplies and devised methods by which the concealed aids could be sent to prisoner of war camps.

Christopher Hutton

It is estimated that around 35,000 British and other Allied personnel managed to evade capture or escape from captivity and return to Allied territory. Many of these were assisted by MI9's silk maps and other escape and evasion equipment.

Hutton achieved all of his wartime escape and evasion work despite shortages of materials such as silk and steel wire; he also overcame much bureaucratic obstruction. He was often in trouble with the police and with official supply authorities of various kinds, but was unreservedly backed by Crockatt. Hutton was always short of money and after WWII he wrote a book about his wartime experiences, which he believed was reasonable since there had been many stories about escapes in the newspapers, as well as open sales of items such as silk maps. But to his own apparent surprise, he encountered difficulties with the security authorities who were nervous about revelations by former members of the secret or semi-secret services.

Clayton Hutton was born at 102 Willow Road, Birmingham, on 16 November 1893, the son of Christopher Hutton, brass manufacturer, and his wife, Edith Eliza, née Clayton. From January 1904 to December 1908, Hutton attended King Edward's School, Birmingham. His father, C. Hutton, registered him at the school from the address: 2 West Donald Place, Washwood Heath Road, Saltley, Birmingham. In Class 11, July 1907, Hutton won First Prize for Botany, and came Second in Class for Drawing. Hutton did not appear to excel at team games but we read in King Edward's School Chronicle, New Series Vol XXIII, July 1908,
No. 170, page 59; Gymnastic Competition - First in Class IX – "Hutton has greatly improved during the year."

Hutton's uncle, William Clayton, ran a timber business and sawmills in Saltley, then on the outskirts of Birmingham, where his nephew worked on leaving school. It was from there, in April 1913, that the stunt of Houdini's faked escape from a wooden packing case was planned, with a wager by the young Hutton and his mates. This event strengthened his fascination with both stage performances and escapology. Hutton says that he was "discouraged by his mother" from going onto the stage professionally. In the same context he mentions entering journalism, but the chronology is unclear from his sketchy account and perhaps his WWI service intervened.

Hutton served in the First World War He was described as a forceful character who worked ceaselessly to overcome both technical and bureaucratic obstacles when inspired by an idea. Near the start of WWI he tried to enter the Royal Flying Corps but was rejected. On 26 December 1914 he was commissioned into the South Lancashire regiment. After a few months he transferred into the Northumberland Fusiliers, where he served with the 25th battalion (2nd Tyneside Irish) for most of 1915. He then again transferred into the Yorkshire regiment, becoming a captain in its 13th battalion and then briefly an adjutant. His final WWI army posting was as captain and adjutant of the 10th battalion of the training reserve. He gained a British flying certificate dated 9 May 1917, registered as Christopher Clayton Hutton, Captain in the RFC; giving his address as Wisteria, Castle Bromwich, Nr Birmingham. Finally, on the formation of the Royal Air Force in April 1918, he was appointed an RAF Staff Captain, serving in Salonica. After two months' administration work, he passed military pilot training, and served briefly on that front, being demobilised in January 1919.

According to his biographer, M.R.D. Foot, Hutton held a variety of short-term jobs, including that of a newspaper reporter. This ties in with Hutton's own short account, when he says that he learnt the work of a journalist under Lord Northcliffe, moving on to the Daily Chronicle "for a long spell." And he then moved into the film industry, working in publicity. At some stage whilst doing this work, he lived briefly in Berlin.

Early in WWII he found his niche, thanks to showing his interviewer proof of his encounter with Houdini – aged nineteen Clayton Hutton had bet Houdini that the latter could not get out of a wooden crate built by one of his uncle's workmen. Unknown to the lads at the factory until later, Houdini bribed the workman to make the crate largely from false nails, and so won the bet. After a brief interview at the War Office he was appointed together with four others, to help Norman Crockatt set up a new section in the secret service department MI9. Their tasks included training fighting men in how to evade capture or escape if they found themselves in enemy-held territory and, a little later in the war, supporting escape and evasion lines, and interrogating returned prisoners. Hutton's function was to provide evasion and escape devices. He was recommissioned in May 1940 as a captain on the general list of the army; was promoted major in 1943; and was then allowed to retire into plain clothes, but still bound under the Official Secrets Act.

When Hutton began his MI9 duties, escape and evasion activities under Crockatt were based in Room 424 of the Hotel Metropole, Northumberland Avenue, London. However, Hutton himself kept away from the building as much as possible. According to his own account, this was on the instructions of Crockatt. So he found himself a small room in the War Office buildings as his base. As the result of a dispersion policy in October 1940 the whole outfit was removed to Wilton Park, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Hutton records that he was given an office so palatial that it would have satisfied Cecil B. de Mille. He was also granted a woman driver, who admitted that she had been warned that Hutton was mad! Evidently though, according to his own story, they got on together quite well. Later in his service, probably during 1943 when he was showing signs of stress from overwork, he found himself a hideaway in an excavated "bunker" near a graveyard somewhere beyond the grounds of Wilton Park mansion. There he took his equipment and materials to continue working, undisturbed.

Brigadier Norman Crockatt headed MI9 throughout its existence and set out the Branch's philosophy of 'escape-mindedness' which became the focus of the training programme. It was emphasised that it was every man's duty to try to escape and they were told that MI9 would do everything they could to support them in that endeavour. Shortly after his recruitment by MI9, Hutton met "Johnny" Evans, who was also employed by the organisation. Evans appears to have made a strong impression on Hutton. Evans "lectured" Hutton, emphasising that the three essentials for an escaper are: maps; compasses and a food-source. Later, Hutton realised that Evans should have added a safe water supply with the food.

Crockatt had given Hutton a free hand to decide how to organise his work and how to choose its priorities. The meeting with Evans led Hutton to decide to concentrate on the three essentials of maps, compasses and food packs for all service personnel going into battle. Furthermore, he realised that a study of books about WW1 experiences would provide further insights. Short of time and eager to forge ahead, he requested the librarian at the British Museum to assemble a collection of escape books from WW1 and to provide assistance to purchase second hand copies. He took these books to the headmaster of Rugby school, Crockatt's "alma mater," and arranged for sixth formers to write summaries. Hence he obtained a very swift appraisal of the main necessities. Further help came from a Colonel Scott in the War Office who gave Hutton the script of a lecture by General Walther von Brauchitsch, in Munich in 1937, describing German experiences of running prison camps in 1914-18. Thus Hutton's priorities soon became very clear.

In 1942, Clayton Hutton's Section in MI9 produced a top secret booklet named "Per Ardua Libertas". This contained illustrations of escape and evasion maps and other aids. Copies were passed to a visiting delegation of American Intelligence Officers.

Hutton is credited with the re-invention of the use of silk for an Escape and evasion map. He considered maps to be "the escaper's most important accessory" that should be issued to all flyers. Evidently cloth maps as an escape aid were not a completely new idea. Hutton's idea was that every serviceman should be issued with a compact map as one of three essential escape aids against the eventuality of being captured or shot down behind enemy lines. Hence he could attempt to evade capture or escape from detention. Hutton was surprised to discover that a man called Wallace Ellison, with whom he was acquainted, was not only a silk manufacturer in Macclesfield, but was also the author of a book on prisoners and prison escapes in WWI Germany. As they talked about the objective and the difficulties of silk map production, Ellison became enthusiastic, and was soon providing considerable practical assistance.

At first, Hutton had difficulties obtaining cartographic data. Normal War Office and Air Ministry sources in London were uncooperative. However when he met the Edinburgh mapmakers John Bartholomew and Son Ltd., they agreed to supply maps of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Balkans, waiving all copyrights in support of the war effort.

Once he had the cartographic sources, he needed a medium onto which he could print the maps. This medium needed to be quiet to unfold, not prone to disintegrate when wet, maintaining its integrity when folded at the crease line and able to be concealed as very small packages. His first attempts to print on silk squares were unsuccessful since the minute details were blurred. However he discovered that this was cured by adding pectin to the ink. MI9 went on to commission escape and evasion maps on silk, various man-made cloth fibres and special tissue paper. To increase their usefulness, most of these maps were printed double-sided.

A naval intelligence officer operating under the name "Bravada" put Hutton in touch with a source of mulberry leaf paper, used in Japan. The paper maps were printed on tissue made from these leaves. It had the texture of onion skins and showed excellent durability. It could be balled, put in water and soaked, and then flattened without creasing, fading or disintegration. It could be folded up in such a way that it would occupy a very small space, such as inside a chess piece or a record. When he found another printer who normally made greetings cards, Hutton arranged for him to laminate Mulberry tissue maps inside playing cards. When soaked in water, these delaminated, revealing serviceable maps of a chosen area, indicated by secret contacts with particular POW camps.

After retiring from the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), where she had worked as a cartographer, Barbara Bond carried out a three year research programme on WWII escape and evasion maps, using primary sources of excellent pedigree. Her research revealed the astonishing scope of the MI9 mapping work. She found that conservatively 243 different mapping items were produced and then printed by the means outlined above. This resulted in more than one and three quarter million maps that were distributed to combatants - principally aircrews, but also special forces such as commandos and SOE personnel. As the initiator of this vital programme, and in his subsequent service until 1943, Hutton was the key personality in this effort.

Hutton's work on compasses began around the time of the Dunkirk evacuation crisis. Unsuccessfully contacting several well-known instrument makers for compasses that could be concealed, he then discovered a small firm in the Old Kent Road, London. This was Blunt Brothers, who had a well equipped laboratory and workshops behind an unprepossessing facade. They assured him that they could make 5000 small compasses in a week, but they had a problem with shortage of steel strip. Hutton immediately set about solving this, flying straight away from Croydon Airport to Sheffield. There, using his MI9 credentials and performing some bartering, he was able to purchase the necessary strip, which was delivered almost immediately to Blunts' works.

During the first week, they made simple bar compasses, about one inch (25mm) long with luminous-dotted tips, to hang from any convenient piece of thread. Next, a very tiny prototype was made, having a barrel cut from 1/4 inch (6mm) dia. brass tubing. They realised that with an outer screw thread, these could fit into the reverse of military uniform buttons and cap badges. This went into production and later, when the enemy discovered this device, more were produced with a left-hand thread, which fooled the inspecting guards for some time longer. Hutton got on well with George Waterlow and Dick Richards, two of Blunts' instrument makers, and together they also developed the idea of magnetised safety razor blades. These pointed north when suspended or floated on water.

When there was a shortage of steel points for the better-quality barrel compasses, they hit on cutting these from readily-available gramophone needles. Then, in December 1940, Blunts' factory was bombed, and the owners feared losing all their production for some time, because of the likely bureaucratic delay before re-building could start. But undeterred, Hutton appealed directly to Lord Beaverbrook to have repairs made immediately. This was successful, helped probably by the fact that the firm was also making bomb sights.

The following selection of hidden compass devices are illustrated in Hutton's autobiography "Official Secret"

After the fall of France and the Low Countries, the priority for MI9b became support for RAF flights over the greatly enlarged and much closer enemy territories. This meant that provision of emergency food-packs for aircrews was of the utmost importance. Crockatt approved of Hutton working on this, but warned him that they would be "poaching" on the preserves of the Quartermaster general.

Shortly after his recruitment by MI9, Hutton met "Johnny" Evans, who appears to have made a strong impression. Evans "lectured" Hutton, emphasising that the three essentials for an escaper are: maps; compasses and a food-source. Later, Hutton realised that Evans should have added a safe water supply with the food.

Hutton's first escape packs used cigarette tins as the container. He placed a huge order for 20,000 full "Flat Fifty" tins of cigarettes with W.D. & H.O. Wills of Bristol. For several days, he packed and un-packed the tins until he found the best way of fitting in the concentrated food and other items useful to an escaper. Showing his first efforts to Johnny Evans, the latter pointed out that a safe water supply was also necessary. Hutton tried again, finding the cigarette tins rather small for anything other than a rubber bottle of limited capacity. But amazingly, as well as concentrated food, he also managed eventually to pack in two paper maps, a tiny saw, a compass and Benzedrine tablets. These types of pack were issued for service, as "RAF Ration Box Mk.II." One of the RAF units that received them reported that a pilot who had bailed out in the English Channel found the contents had been spoiled by leakage.

The RAF Ration Pack Mk.IV was more successful than the tins. This round drum-shaped design was developed in clear plastic by Halex Ltd., toothbrush manufacturers, after Hutton asked Sir. Laurence Merriam, the Chairman, for assistance. It was specifically designed to be watertight and compact. The user was instructed to empty the contents into his pockets and fill the container with water when required. Another type of escape box is illustrated in Foot & Langley (1979)-page 58. This box is broadly rectangular in plan shape, opening into two halves, but with a curve moulded into the cross-section to fit the chest of the wearer. No Model Number is given, but it is inferred that this was an American design, probably used in Europe, from around 1942 onward.

Examples from the escape books of the 1914 - 18 war led Hutton to consider convertible uniforms. RAF uniforms might be altered to resemble those of the Luftwaffe and those of other services could be imitated similarly. Military personnel were entitled to receive new uniforms in the POW camps, so Hutton devised a form of reversible uniform that could be sent in this way. It had a tailored lining of a darker material than that of the exterior. When unbuttoned this served as a stand-alone civilian jacket.

Another technique was to include hidden cutting markings on blankets. These were an obvious item for the enemy to expect relatives to include in parcels for prisoners. Hutton selected the best type of dual-purpose cloth for this purpose, consulting experts from the Wool Association. Marking patterns were applied in invisible ink that would show when the blanket was soaked in cold water. POW camps always contained tailors who were adept at the necessary alterations. Concealed dyes, also devised in Hutton's department, provided further support to the disguises.

The 1943 Pattern 'Escape' boots were the version produced from the designs of Major Clayton Hutton at MI9.

These were being field-tested as early as 1942. Consisting of a black leather laced walking shoe and a black zip-up suede legging, the basic principle was simple: in the event of landing in enemy territory, the wearer would separate the leggings from the shoe by using the folded pocket knife that was held in the pocket in the right boot. The walking shoe was less conspicuous and more comfortable than a conventional flying boot. The leggings could be re-assembled to provide a waistcoat for extra warmth. The design remained in service with the RAF until the mid-1950s. Hutton also designed flying boots with hollow heels to hide maps and other escape equipment.

The determined escaper often needed a means of cutting through the iron window-bars of a prison. Hutton mentions "a tiny saw" among the contents of the RAF Ration Box Mk.II, but this must indeed have been very small to fit into the cigarette tin alongside other objects. Foot & Langley say that MI9 produced "several formidable hacksaws." One was a blade 4 1/2 in. long x 1/2 in. wide, having a hole in one end through which string could be tied when it was concealed in clothing - evidently then a tool for ecapers rather than evaders. The escape knife, which they credit to Hutton- although the latter does not himself mention it- was a robust multi-function tool that included a sawblade. It must have been a prized item in prison camps, provided it escaped detection by X-rays during the guards' inspection.
Hiding saws in items such as the seams of clothes or in bootlaces was a difficulty because of the brittleness and stiffness of the steel. Thinking about this problem, Hutton came up with the idea of the Gigli saw. By talking to a friend whose father was a surgeon, he discovered that these could be purchased ready-made and would fit inside a bootlace without adaptation. The surgical saw was chain-like, and had loops at each end to take handles. He bought some samples from a medical instrument supplier, but finding them ideal, he wanted very large quantities. In his usual manner, he set about obtaining enough serrated wire for 10,000 saws from a factory in Birmingham and they were soon put to use.

Some of Hutton's inventions and developments of existing ideas were either taken up in only relatively small quantities or dropped altogether, often at the behest of other branches of the secret services. As described in his autobiography, these gadgets included the following:-

The Geneva Convention allowed prisoners to receive parcels from families and relief organisations. Red Cross parcels were not used because of concerns that the enemy would not only stop these reaching the prisoners if they discovered hidden items, but also apply reprisals. Brigadier Crockatt, Hutton's chief, was very strict about this rule.

By 1940, MI9 had established that it needed to smuggle maps, money and escape aids into the prison camps in large quantities. The tactics and concealment methods were to be developed by Hutton's small technical team in collaboration with selected suppliers of maps, compasses, escape packs, clothing and various games sets and sports equipment. Accurate record-keeping of the activities, using card indexes, also played a vital part in the work.

They invented fictitious cover organisations to ″donate″ relief parcels for dispatch to the camps. These included the Licensed Victuallers' Sports Association, the Prisoners' Leisure Hour Fund, the Ladies Knitting Circle and The Jigsaw Puzzle Club. Each of these donors had headed notepaper and realistic-looking fictitious addresses, often at blitzed premises. The black humourists included thinly-veiled encouraging texts, printed on the donors' enclosure letters. For example, a reference was made to ″The Golden Key″ in a letter enclosing books from a spoof vicarage. The Germans permitted the return of signed receipts for the parcels, facilitating the tracking of what was getting through and in what volume. At first, only genuine unmodified comfort aids were sent, so as to gauge the timing and successful receipt of consignments. Care was taken to match packing materials, such as old newspapers, with the alleged locations of the false donor organisations, and packaging was regularly altered to avoid suspicion. It took about three months for the first successes to be scored, enabling the delivery of ″naughty″ contents to begin.

One of the earliest companies to help MI9 with the printing of the silk maps had been John Waddington & Co. of Leeds. They also held the licence in the UK of the US board game, Monopoly. Hence they were able to start manufacturing the boards with items secreted in them. Using Monopoly as a host carrier also enabled actual currency to be hidden within the Monopoly money. MI9 approached EMI, the gramophone record company, who according to Hutton were at first somewhat reluctant. A standard production process involved dry lamination, which made it easier to introduce maps within the records.

A system of coded correspondence with the camps enabled customised escape maps and currency to be produced and delivered on demand. The clue to a coded letter lay in the form of the date which, if abbreviated to numbers only, signified a coded message within the text. By December 1941, MI9 had established a network of over 900 coded letter writers in the PoW camps and the correspondence backwards and forwards between MI9 and the camps could reach over 100 in any single month. The escape kits are credited with helping 316 escape attempts from Colditz Castle, which saw 32 men make it back home, starting with Airey Neave and the Dutch officer, Toni Luteyn, who were the first officers to succeed in returning to the UK.

According to his own account, Hutton's approach to the authorities for permission to give talks and publish his memoirs began not unpleasantly. On 4 January 1950, he wrote to the Director of Military Intelligence concerning his intentions and requesting an interview. Meanwhile, he collected examples of how WW2 escape and evasion equipment had already been publicised. This included material from the "Sunday Dispatch," written in September 1945 by a Flt Lt R. Kee. Later in January, chasing up his interview request, and following it up with more evidence supporting his contention that nothing unknown would be revealed, Hutton started to find the DMI's staff less cooperative. Nevertheless, he claimed, he was given written permission on 31 January 1950, to give lectures on escape and evasion, including descriptions of the main tools such as maps, compasses and altered uniforms.

His original idea for a book written in the first half of 1950, was for it to be entitled ""A journey has been arranged"" and for it to include material on escapes during earlier conflicts as well as descriptions of his work in MI9. After he had completed the manuscript and had passed it to the publishers, he approached Sir Basil Embry, who was himself an escaper, to provide a Foreword. But Hutton's publishers were ordered to submit the draft to an Air Ministry Intelligence Staff committee, who then decided to involve the War Office too, even though Hutton agreed to make further changes. Because of the delays, Embry wrote in his support, but as well as saying that Hutton's "revelations" were harmless, he challenged the orthodoxy that equipment used in WW2 might also be important in future conflicts. Hutton wrote that he felt "enmeshed in a labyrinth of minor officials."

He was warned in writing about infringing the Official Secrets Act, then ordered to return all documents, lecture notes and drafts concerning his service with His Majesty's Forces. In June 1951, was summonsed to court, with Embry agreeing to accompany him there. Hutton alleges that around this time he revealed to detectives some letters showing that a selection of escape aids had been sent to Buckingham Palace for the private Royal Museum. Hence the lawyers handling his case for the Director of Public Prosecutions became aware of the possibility of embarrassing high-ranking officers. The inference, in his memoirs, is that for this reason the case was withdrawn. However, his troubles were still not over.

The Air Ministry attempted to have Hutton's writings banned from publication in the USA, as well as in the UK. He applied for a visa to go to the USA in 1953, but permission was withheld for about three years. In November 1955 Hutton was telephoned by the Military Correspondent of the Daily Express who told him that a book entitled "The Hidden Catch" had just been published by an author named Charles Connell but which the correspondent recognised as an account of Hutton's own work in MI9. It transpired that the publishers had been induced to submit the draft to the Air Ministry, who redacted the text extremely heavily, removing about 66% of the content. They also insisted on the use of the alternative author, with Hutton referred to in the text as "Mr. X"! Adding insult to injury, they insisted on the insertion of a disclaimer, including the words ""... dubious decisions and unorthodox behaviour..."" As a consequence, Hutton was again in court, this time at his own instigation. He sought an injunction in the High Court to block the publication and sales of further copies. Hutton won the case and was granted copyright, authorship and publication without the paragraph that he regarded as libelous. The terms were awarded on 13 January 1956. He records the incident as having been a Pyrhhic Victory with the struggle as having "sent up my blood pressure several points."

In the final round of this dispute, Hutton instructed a solicitor to try to determine the name of the Air Ministry official who had ordered the interventions, but also, in typical fashion, he personally fired off another enraged telegram. He was interviewed by Air Ministry security officers, one of whom, he alleges, said that in the defence of Crown Secrets, even untrue "facts" could be stated! Hutton finally concluded that he "had come to the end of this particular road..."

After eight years' official obstruction, his autobiography entitled "Official Secret" was eventually published in 1960, appearing in paperback two years later. A Publisher's Note follows the Contents Page; this includes the words:- "...it was obvious that here was a case in which we had a moral obligation to see that the author should, after years of frustration and disappointment, be allowed to tell his remarkable story and to receive recognition that had been denied to him by those who should have known better..."

After the publication of "Official Secret, Hutton retired to Ashburton, Devon, on the eastern side of Dartmoor. He died at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, of a brain haemorrhage, on 3 September 1965. He was buried in Devon.

Hutton's role during the Second World War was highlighted on the popular BBC Quiz QI episode 8 Series G "Germany" on 15 January 2010.

Some silk maps were made into items such as dresses and lampshades after the war and these appear from time-to-time as minor news items and features in "collectibles" programmes.

Christopher Hutton

It is estimated that around 35,000 British and other Allied personnel managed to evade capture or escape from captivity and return to Allied territory. Many of these were assisted by MI9's silk maps and other escape and evasion equipment.

According to his biographer, M.R.D. Foot, Hutton held a variety of short-term jobs, including that of a newspaper reporter. This ties in with Hutton's own short account, when he says that he learnt the work of a journalist under Lord Northcliffe, moving on to the Daily Chronicle "for a long spell." And he then moved into the film industry, working in publicity. At some stage whilst doing this work, he lived briefly in Berlin.

In 1942, Clayton Hutton's Section in MI9 produced a top secret booklet named "Per Ardua Libertas". This contained illustrations of escape and evasion maps and other aids. Copies were passed to a visiting delegation of American Intelligence Officers.

At first, Hutton had difficulties obtaining cartographic data. Normal War Office and Air Ministry sources in London were uncooperative. However when he met the Edinburgh mapmakers John Bartholomew and Son Ltd., they agreed to supply maps of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Balkans, waiving all copyrights in support of the war effort.

The following selection of hidden compass devices are illustrated in Hutton's autobiography "Official Secret"

After the fall of France and the Low Countries, the priority for MI9b became support for RAF flights over the greatly enlarged and much closer enemy territories. This meant that provision of emergency food-packs for aircrews was of the utmost importance. Crockatt approved of Hutton working on this, but warned him that they would be "poaching" on the preserves of the Quartermaster general.

Shortly after his recruitment by MI9, Hutton met "Johnny" Evans, who appears to have made a strong impression. Evans "lectured" Hutton, emphasising that the three essentials for an escaper are: maps; compasses and a food-source. Later, Hutton realised that Evans should have added a safe water supply with the food.

The 1943 Pattern 'Escape' boots were the version produced from the designs of Major Clayton Hutton at MI9.

Some of Hutton's inventions and developments of existing ideas were either taken up in only relatively small quantities or dropped altogether, often at the behest of other branches of the secret services. As described in his autobiography, these gadgets included the following:-

The Geneva Convention allowed prisoners to receive parcels from families and relief organisations. Red Cross parcels were not used because of concerns that the enemy would not only stop these reaching the prisoners if they discovered hidden items, but also apply reprisals. Brigadier Crockatt, Hutton's chief, was very strict about this rule.

After the publication of "Official Secret, Hutton retired to Ashburton, Devon, on the eastern side of Dartmoor. He died at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, of a brain haemorrhage, on 3 September 1965. He was buried in Devon.

Hutton's role during the Second World War was highlighted on the popular BBC Quiz QI episode 8 Series G "Germany" on 15 January 2010.

Some silk maps were made into items such as dresses and lampshades after the war and these appear from time-to-time as minor news items and features in "collectibles" programmes.


Who first landed the quadruple axel?

Jumps are referred to by how many times the skater turns in the air. One revolution (one and a half for the Axel) is a "single" jump. Two revolutions (two and a half for the Axel) is a "double" jump. Three revolutions (three and a half for the Axel) is a "triple" jump. Four revolutions (four and a half for the Axel, although this has never been done in competition) is a "quadruple" or "quad" jump. The first triple jump landed in competition was a loop jump. It was landed by Dick Button in 1952. The first quadruple jump landed in competition was a toe loop jump. It was landed by Kurt Browning in 1988. Currently, men in world-class competition usually attempt a full set of triples and sometimes one or two quadruple jumps in their free skating programs. Triple Axels are rare for ladies, and quadruple jump attempts even more so.

Figure skating jumps

Figure skating jumps are an element of three competitive figure skating disciplines—men's singles, ladies' singles, and pair skating but not ice dancing. Different jumps are identified by the take-off edge, direction of movement, and the number of revolutions completed. There are six kinds of jumps currently counted as jump elements in ISU regulations. Three are edge jumps—the Salchow, loop, and Axel—and three are toe jumps which use the toe picks on the front of the blade—the toe loop, flip, and Lutz. The Axel is the most difficult due to an extra half rotation.

Each jump receives a score according to its base value and grade of execution (GOE). The GOE ranges from +5 to −5 and is weighted according to the jump's base value. Quality of execution, technique, height, speed, flow and ice coverage are considered by the judges. An "under-rotated" jump (indicated by < ) is "missing rotation of more than ¼, but less than ½ revolution" and receives 70% of the base value. A "downgraded" jump (indicated by «) is "missing rotation of ½ revolution or more". A triple which is downgraded is treated as a double, while a downgraded double is treated as a single jump. The ISU defines a fall as a loss of control with the result that the majority of the skater's body weight is not on the blade but supported by hands, knees, or buttocks.

An edge violation occurs when a skater executes a jump on the incorrect edge. The hollow is a groove on the bottom of the blade which creates two distinct edges, inside and outside. The inside edge of the blade is closest to the center of the body, on the arch-side of the foot. The outside edge is on the outer edge of the foot. A "flat" refers to skating on both edges at the same time, which is discouraged. An unclear edge or edge violation is indicated with an 'e' and reflected in the GOE according to the severity of the problem. "Flutz" and "lip" are the colloquial terms for a Lutz and a flip jump with an edge violation, respectively.

In 1982, the International Skating Union enacted a rule stating that a skater may perform each type of triple only once, or twice if one of them is incorporated into a combination or sequence. For a set of jumps to be considered a "combination", each jump must take off from the landing edge of the previous jump, with no steps, turns, or change of edge in between jumps. Toe loops and loops are commonly performed as the second or third jump in a combination because they take off from the right back outside edge. To perform a Salchow or flip on the back end of a combination, a half loop (which is actually a full rotation, but lands on a left back inside edge) may be used as a connecting jump. In contrast, jump "sequences" are sets of jumps which may be linked by non-listed jumps or hops. Sequences are worth 80% of what the same jumps executed in combination would be worth.

Jumps may be rotated in clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Most skaters are counter-clockwise jumpers.

Each jump has a base value, which is adjusted if the jump is under-rotated (Euler (half loop) or one-foot Axel). The type and number of steps before a jump do not affect the jump's definition, but certain jumps have common and recognizable set-ups that help the skater do the element correctly and that also help spectators in identifying the jumps.

Jumps are classified as either "edge jumps" or "toe jumps". An edge jump takes off directly from the edge without assist from the other foot; while in a toe jump, the skater spikes the toe picks of the free foot into the ice at the same time he or she jumps off the edge of the skating foot, providing a kind of pole-vaulting action to convert the skater's horizontal speed over the ice into a vertical leap.

Most jumps have a "natural" rotation; that is, the approach and landing curves both have the same rotational sense as the jump in the air. A few jumps, notably including the Lutz and Walley, are "counter-rotated", with the approach edge having an opposite rotational sense to the rotation in the air and landing curve.

In the modern jumping technique first developed by Gus Lussi and his pupil Dick Button, skaters are taught to jump up first, and then assume a "back spin position" in the air to complete the rotation. For a jump with counterclockwise rotation, the left leg should be crossed in front of the right at the ankles, with the feet together, the arms pulled into the chest and the head turned to look over the left shoulder. If the legs are crossed above the knee, it is referred to as a "wrap", and is considered poor technique, not only because it looks unattractive but because it interferes with the jump's mechanics. For multi-rotational jumps, it is important that the skater assume a "tight" position in the air by holding the arms close to the body, to concentrate their body mass around the axis of rotation and minimize the rotational moment of inertia.

Jumps may also be performed with variations in the arm positions in the air to add difficulty. These variations include one or both arms overhead, both hands on the hips, or arms folded in front of the chest. The variation with one arm overhead is often called a "Tano" position, after Brian Boitano, who performed a triple Lutz in this position as one of his signature moves.

When landing a jump, skaters uncross the free leg from in front of the landing leg and swing it to the rear. Extending the arms and free leg "checks" the rotation and allows the skater to flow out of the jump on a strong edge. Ideally, a skater should exit the jump with just as much speed as on the entrance.

A jump that is "cheated" is one in which the skater either begins or completes the rotation of a jump on the ice instead of in the air. While this error is often not obvious to casual observers, under the ISU Judging System, cheated jumps are heavily penalized, in many cases as much as or more than a fall on a fully rotated jump.

By 1991, jumps covering six metres of distance were common. Growth spurts sometimes affect a skater's jumping ability.

Recalling jumping technique in the 1980s, Canadian skater Brian Orser recalled: "We'd swing that free leg through, whether it was an Axel or a Salchow or even a toe loop. You'd bring that free leg and you'd climb like you were climbing a stair." More recent skaters tend to keep their feet closer together and to begin rotating sooner.

The following are the seven most common figure skating jumps in order from the least to the most difficult, as dictated by increasing point values under the ISU Judging system. All take off from a backwards entrance except the Axel:

B = Backward; F = Forward; I = Inside; O = Outside; E = Edge
There are also a number of other jumps which are usually performed only as single jumps and in elite skating are used as transitional movements or highlights in step sequences. None of these jumps have assigned point values under the ISU Judging System. These include:
The Waltz Jump is the first jump skaters learn in their journey, after the bunny hop. It might feel scary at first since the skater has to land on one foot, backwards. Maintaining the right balance and landing on the ball of the foot, slightly on the inside edge helps the skater learn it quickly. Learning and perfecting the Waltz Jump is the foundation of learning many other advanced jumps.

Additionally:

Combinations are defined as two or more jumps in which the take-off edge of the second (or third) jump is the same as the landing edge of the first jump. The most common jumps on the back end of a combination are the toe loop and loop because they take off from a back outside edge. Loops are more likely to be judged as under-rotated or downgraded. To execute combinations ending with Salchows or flips, a half loop, which lands on a backward inside edge, is employed as a connecting jump.

In theory, jumps with a counter-rotated entry, such as the Lutz and Walley, can be used as the second jump of combination when preceded by a jump with the opposite rotational sense, such as a combination of a clockwise Walley and counter-clockwise Lutz. In practice, this is rarely attempted because most skaters only train jumps in one direction.

In international competition, a combination of two jumps is a required element for single skaters in the short program. The ISU Judging System restricts combinations in the free skate to a maximum of three jumps.

A jump sequence consists of 2 (two) jumps of any number of revolutions, beginning with any jump, immediately followed by an Axel type jump with a direct step from the landing curve of the first jump to the take-off curve of the Axel jump. The old definition of jump sequences prior to the 2018/19 season was ""Jumps that are not directly linked from landing to take-off edge are considered sequences. Sequences often include "decorative" jumps like toe loop"". Long sequences of single and double jumps used to be common in figure skating through the 1980s, but became more rare as skaters instead packed their programs with triple and quadruple jumps. Under the ISU Judging System, jump sequences are worth 80% of what they would be worth if the same jumps were executed in combination, and in some cases carry less value than just doing the most difficult jump in the sequence as a solo jump.

Side-by-side jumps performed in unison are required elements in competitive pair skating. In lower levels of competition, specific jumps (e.g. double flip) may be required. Elite-level pair skaters usually attempt at least one of: double Axel, triple toe loop, or triple Salchow.

If there is disparity between the jumps of each partner, the element's base value and grade of the jump will be scored on the partner that was less successful, even if the other partner's jump was clean. For example, a side-by-side jumping pass with unequal rotations from each partner is given a base value of the lower number of rotations. A fall by one of the partners is given a grade of execution as if both fell. Additionally, a one-point deduction is given for each partner that fell.

The throw jump is a required element in pair skating. In a throw jump, the lady is assisted on a standard jump by her partner and lands on a back outside edge as if she were jumping alone. Different pairs may use different techniques or holds.

It is unknown who performed the first throw triple jump. The first throw quadruple jump was performed by Tiffany Vise / Derek Trent of the United States.

The current scale of values is:

A quad, or quadruple, is a figure skating jump with at least three but less than four revolutions. Most quadruple jumps have 3 1/2 revolutions; the quadruple Axel has 4 1/2 revolutions, although no figure skater to date has completed this jump in competition. The quadruple toe loop and quadruple Salchow are the two most commonly skated in the discipline. Quadruple jumps have become increasingly common among World and Olympic level men's single skaters, to the point that not having one in a program has come to be seen as a severe handicap. The first person to land a ratified quadruple jump in competition was Canadian Kurt Browning in 1988. In 2002, Miki Ando became the first woman to do so, and she remains one of only two women to have landed a ratified quadruple jump in competition.

Quad (figure skating)

In singles competition for men:

In singles competition for women:

In pair skating competition:

A jump harness is often employed in training quads. Max Aaron stated that the smallest error may make the difference in the success of a quad attempt: "The minute your left arm is behind you, or your three-turn is too fast, if your hips don't turn in time, if your foot isn't in the right place, anything will throw you off." Ross Miner stated that the quality of the ice sometimes plays a role but more on the quad salchow than the toe loop. Practicing quads increases the risk of injury as well as wear and tear on a skater's body.


Where are the British Virgin Islands?

The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially simply the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, along with over 50 other smaller islands and cays. About 15 of the islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is on Tortola, the largest island, which is about long and wide. The islands had a population of about 28,000 at the 2010 Census, of whom approximately 23,500 lived on Tortola. For the islands, the latest United Nations estimate () is.

British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and since 2002 are British citizens as well. Although the territory is not part of the European Union and not directly subject to EU law, British Virgin Islanders are deemed to be citizens of the EU by virtue of their British citizenship.

The official name of the territory is still simply the "Virgin Islands", but the prefix "British" is often used. This is commonly believed to distinguish it from the neighbouring American territory which changed its name from the "Danish West Indies" to "Virgin Islands of the United States" in 1917. However, local historians have disputed this, pointing to a variety of publications and public records dating from between 21 February 1857 and 12 September 1919 where the Territory is referred to as the "British" Virgin Islands. British Virgin Islands government publications continue to begin with the name "The territory of the Virgin Islands", and the territory's passports simply refer to the "Virgin Islands", and all laws begin with the words "Virgin Islands". Moreover, the territory's Constitutional Commission has expressed the view that "every effort should be made" to encourage the use of the name "Virgin Islands". But various public and quasi-public bodies continue to use the name "British Virgin Islands" or "BVI", including BVI Finance, BVI Electricity Corporation, BVI Tourist Board, BVI Athletic Association, BVI Bar Association and others.

In 1968 the British Government issued a memorandum requiring that the postage stamps in the territory should say "British Virgin Islands" (whereas previously they had simply stated "Virgin Islands"), a practice which is still followed today. This was likely to prevent confusion following on from the adoption of US currency in the Territory in 1959, and the references to US currency on the stamps of the Territory.

The Virgin Islands were first settled by the Arawak from South America around 100 BC (though there is some evidence of Amerindian presence on the islands as far back as 1500 BC). The Arawaks inhabited the islands until the 15th century when they were displaced by the more aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands, after whom the Caribbean Sea is named.

The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Columbus gave them the fanciful name "Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes" (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to "Las Vírgenes" (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula.

The Spanish Empire claimed the islands by discovery in the early 16th century, but never settled them, and subsequent years saw the English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danish all jostling for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates. There is no record of any native Amerindian population in the British Virgin Islands during this period, although most of the native population on nearby Saint Croix was killed or dispersed.

The Dutch established a permanent settlement on the island of Tortola by 1648. In 1672, the English captured Tortola from the Dutch, and the English annexation of Anegada and Virgin Gorda followed in 1680. Meanwhile, over the period 1672–1733, the Danish gained control of the nearby islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix.
The British islands were considered principally a strategic possession, but were planted when economic conditions were particularly favourable. The British introduced sugar cane which was to become the main crop and source of foreign trade, and slaves were brought from Africa to work on the sugar cane plantations. The islands prospered economically until the middle of the nineteenth century, when a combination of the abolition of slavery in the territory, a series of disastrous hurricanes, and the growth in the sugar beet crop in Europe and the United States significantly reduced sugar cane production and led to a period of economic decline.

In 1917, the United States purchased St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix from Denmark for US$25 million, renaming them the United States Virgin Islands.

The British Virgin Islands were administered variously as part of the British Leeward Islands or with St. Kitts and Nevis, with an administrator representing the British Government on the islands. The islands gained separate colony status in 1960 and became autonomous in 1967. Since the 1960s, the islands have diversified away from their traditionally agriculture-based economy towards tourism and financial services, becoming one of the wealthiest areas in the Caribbean.

The British Virgin Islands comprise around 60 tropical Caribbean islands, ranging in size from the largest, Tortola, being long and wide, to tiny uninhabited islets, altogether about in extent. They are located in the Virgin Islands archipelago, a few miles east of the US Virgin Islands, and about from the Puerto Rican mainland. About east south-east lies Anguilla. The North Atlantic Ocean lies to the east of the islands, and the Caribbean Sea lies to the west. Most of the islands are volcanic in origin and have a hilly, rugged terrain. Anegada is geologically distinct from the rest of the group and is a flat island composed of limestone and coral.

In addition to the four main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, other islands include (see also ):

The British Virgin Islands have a tropical rainforest climate, moderated by trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year. In the capital, Road Town, typical daily maxima are around in the summer and in the winter. Typical daily minima are around in the summer and in the winter. Rainfall averages about per year, higher in the hills and lower on the coast. Rainfall can be quite variable, but the wettest months on average are September to November and the driest months on average are February and March.

Hurricanes occasionally hit the islands, with the hurricane season running from June to November. Hurricane Danny (2015) was the most recent until 6 September 2017 when Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage.

The islands were struck by Hurricane Irma on 6 September 2017, causing extensive damage, as well as four deaths in the BVI. A state of emergency was declared by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. The most significant damage was on Tortola. The UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited Tortola on 13 September 2017 and said that he was reminded of photos of Hiroshima after it had been hit by the atom bomb.

By 8 September, the UK government sent troops with medical supplies and other aid. More troops were expected to arrive a day or two later, but the ship
HMS Ocean, carrying more extensive assistance, was not expected to reach the islands for another two weeks, however.

Entrepreneur Richard Branson, a resident of Necker Island (British Virgin Islands), called on the UK government to develop a massive disaster recovery plan for British islands that were damaged. That should include "both through short-term aid and long-term infrastructure spending", he said. Premier Orlando Smith also called for a comprehensive aid package to rebuild the BVI. On 10 September, PM Theresa May pledged £32 million to the Caribbean for a Hurricane relief fund; the UK government would also match donations made by the public via the British Red Cross appeal. Specifics were not provided to the news media as to the amount that would be allocated to the Virgin Islands. Boris Johnson's visit to Tortola on 13 September 2017 during his Caribbean tour was intended to confirm the UK's commitment to helping restore British islands but he provided no additional comments on the aid package. He did confirm that HMS Ocean (L12) was on the way to the BVI items like timber, buckets, bottled water, food, baby milk, bedding and clothing, as well as ten pickup trucks, building materials and hardware.

The territory operates as a parliamentary democracy. Ultimate executive authority in British Virgin Islands is vested in the Queen, and is exercised on her behalf by the Governor of the British Virgin Islands. The governor is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the British government. Defence and most foreign affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom.

The most recent constitution was adopted in 2007 (the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007) and came into force when the Legislative Council was dissolved for the 2007 general election. The head of government under the constitution is the Premier (before the new constitution the office was referred to as Chief Minister), who is elected in a general election along with the other members of the ruling government as well as the members of the opposition. Elections are held roughly every four years. A cabinet is nominated by the Premier and appointed and chaired by the Governor. The Legislature consists of the Queen (represented by the Governor) and a unicameral House of Assembly made up of 13 elected members plus the Speaker and the Attorney General.

The current Governor is Augustus Jaspert (since 22 August 2017). The current Premier is Orlando Smith (since 9 November 2011), who is leader of the ruling National Democratic Party.

The British Virgin Islands is a unitary territory. The territory is divided into nine electoral districts, and each voter is registered in one of those districts. Eight of the nine districts are partly or wholly on Tortola, and encompass nearby neighbouring islands. Only the ninth district (Virgin Gorda and Anegada) does not include any part of Tortola. At elections, in addition to voting their local representative, voters also cast votes for four "at-large" candidates who are elected upon a territory-wide basis.

The territory is also technically divided into five administrative districts (one for each of the four largest islands, and then a fifth for all other islands), and into six civil registry districts (three for Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada) although these have little practical relevance today.

Crime in the British Virgin Islands is comparatively low by Caribbean standards (and indeed compared to the neighbouring US Virgin Islands). Whilst statistics and hard data are relatively rare, and are not regularly published by governmental sources in the British Virgin Islands, the Premier did announce that in 2013 there has been a 14% decline in recorded crime as against 2012. Homicides are rare, with just one incident recorded in 2013. The British and US Virgin Islands sit at the axis of a major drugs transshipment point between Latin America and the continental United States. The American DEA regards the adjacent US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands as a "High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area". A co-operation agreement exists between the British Virgin Islands and the US Coast Guard allowing American forces to pursue suspected drug traffickers through the territorial waters of the British Virgin Islands. In August 2011 a joint raid between the American DEA and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force arrested a number of British Virgin Islands residents who are accused of being involved in major drugs transshipments, although their extradition to the United States has become bogged down in protracted legal wrangling.

As a tax haven with an opaque banking system, the British Virgin Islands enjoys one of the more prosperous economies of the Caribbean region, with a per capita average income of around $42,300 (2010 est.)
The average monthly income earned by a worker in the territory was US$2,452 as at the time of the 2010 Census. 29% of the population fell into the "low income" category.

Although it is common to hear criticism in the British Virgin Islands' press about income inequality, no serious attempt has been made by economists to calculate a Gini coefficient or similar measure of income equality for the territory. A report from 2000 suggested that, despite the popular perception, income inequality was actually lower in the British Virgin Islands than in any other OECS state, although in global terms income equality is higher in the Caribbean than in many other regions.

The "twin pillars" of the economy are tourism and financial services. Politically, tourism is the more important of the two, as it employs a greater number of people within the territory, and a larger proportion of the businesses in the tourist industry are locally owned, as are a number of the highly tourism-dependent sole traders (for example, taxi drivers and street vendors). Economically however, financial services associated with the territory's status as an offshore financial centre are by far the more important. 51.8% of the Government's revenue comes directly from licence fees for offshore companies, and considerable further sums are raised directly or indirectly from payroll taxes relating to salaries paid within the trust industry sector (which tend to be higher on average than those paid in the tourism sector).

Tourism accounts for approximately 45% of national income. The islands are a popular destination for US citizens. In 2006 a total of 825,603 people visited the islands, of whom 443,987 were cruise ship passengers. Tourists frequent the numerous white sand beaches, visit The Baths on Virgin Gorda, snorkel the coral reefs near Anegada, or experience the well-known bars of Jost Van Dyke. The BVI are known as one of the world's greatest sailing destinations, and charter sailboats are a very popular way to visit less accessible islands. Every year since 1972 the BVI has hosted the Spring Regatta, which is a seven-day collection of sailing races throughout the islands. A substantial number of the tourists who visit the BVI are cruise ship passengers, and although they produce far lower revenue per head than charter boat tourists and hotel based tourists, they are nonetheless important to the substantial - and politically important - taxi driving community. Only Virgin Islanders are permitted to work as taxi drivers.

Financial services account for over half of the income of the territory. The majority of this revenue is generated by the licensing of offshore companies and related services. The British Virgin Islands is a significant global player in the offshore financial services industry. In 2000 KPMG reported in its survey of offshore jurisdictions for the United Kingdom government that over 45% of the world's offshore companies were formed in the British Virgin Islands. Since 2001, financial services in the British Virgin Islands have been regulated by the independent Financial Services Commission.

At the end of 2012 the banking sector of the British Virgin Islands comprised six commercial banks and one restricted bank, 12 authorised custodians, two licensed money services businesses and one licensed financing service provider.

As such the British Virgin Islands is frequently labelled as a "tax haven" by campaigners and NGOs, and has been expressly named in anti-tax haven legislation in other countries on various occasions. Successive governments in the British Virgin Islands have fought against the tax haven label, and made various commitments to tax exchange and recording beneficial ownership information of companies following the 2013 G8 summit. On 10 September 2013 British Prime Minister David Cameron said "I do not think it is fair any longer to refer to any of the Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies as tax havens. They have taken action to make sure that they have fair and open tax systems. It is very important that our focus should now shift to those territories and countries that really are tax havens."

In the April 2016 Panama Papers leak, the British Virgin Islands was the most commonly used tax haven by clients of Mossack Fonseca.

On June 30, 2014, The British Virgin Islands was deemed to have an Inter- Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the United States of America with respect to the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" of the United States of America.

The Model 1 Agreement (14 Pages) recognizes that:

The Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland provided a copy of the Letter of Entrustment which was sent to the Government of the British Virgin Islands, to the Government of the United States of America "via diplomatic note of May 28, 2014".

The Letter of Entrustment dated July 14, 2010 was originally provided to the Government of the British Virgin Islands and authorized the Govt of the BVI "to negotiate and conclude Agreements relating to taxation that provide for exchange of information on tax matters to the OECD standard" (Paragraph 2 of the FATCA Agreement).

Via an "Entrustment Letter" dated March 24, 2014, The Govt of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, authorized the Govt of the BVI to sign an agreement on information exchange to facilitate the Implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
On March 27, 2017, the US Treasury site disclosed that the Model 1 agreement and related agreement were "In Force" on July 13, 2015.

Under the UK Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2018, beneficial ownership of companies in British overseas territories such as the British Virgin Islands must be publicly registered for disclosure by 31 December 2020. The Government of the British Virgin Islands plans to challenge this law, arguing that it violates the Constitutional sovereignty granted to the islands.

Agriculture and industry account for only a small proportion of the islands' GDP. Agricultural produce includes fruit, vegetables, sugar cane, livestock and poultry, and industries include rum distillation, construction and boat building.

The official currency of the British Virgin Islands has been the United States dollar (US$) since 1959, the currency also used by the United States Virgin Islands.

The British Virgin Islands is heavily dependent on migrant workers, and over 50% of all workers on the islands are of a foreign descent. Only 37% of the entire population were born in the territory. The national labour-force is estimated at 12,770, of whom approximately 59.4% work in the service sector but less than 0.6% are estimated to work in agriculture (the balance in industry).

According to the membership section of the CARICOM Community site, as of July 2, 1991, The British Virgin Islands holds Associate Member status in CARICOM.

In recognition of the CARICOM (Free Movement) Skilled Persons Act which came into effect in July 1997 in some of the CARICOM countries such as Jamaica and which has been adopted in other CARICOM countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, it is possible that CARICOM nationals who hold the "A Certificate of Recognition of Caribbean Community Skilled Person" may be allowed to work in the BVI under normal working conditions.

There are of roads. The main airport, Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, also known as Beef Island Airport, is located on Beef Island, which lies off the eastern tip of Tortola and is accessible by the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Cape Air, LIAT and Air Sunshine are amongst the airlines offering scheduled service. Virgin Gorda and Anegada have their own smaller airports. Private air charter services operated by Island Birds Air Charter fly directly to all three islands from any major airport in the Caribbean. Helicopters are used to get to islands with no runway facilities; Antilles Helicopter Services is the only helicopter service based in the country. The main harbour is in Road Town. There are also ferries that operate within the British Virgin Islands and to the neighbouring United States Virgin Islands. As in the UK and in the United States Virgin Islands, cars in the British Virgin Islands drive on the left, however they differ in that nearly all cars are left hand drive, being imported from the United States. The roads are often quite steep, narrow and winding, and ruts can be a problem when it rains.

Cyril E. King Airport in the US Virgin Islands has flights to a wider range of destinations, so is also used for travelling to the British Virgin Islands.

As of the 2010 Census, the population of the territory was 28,054. At the time of the 2003 census the population was around 21,730. The majority of the population (83%) are Afro-Caribbean, descended from slaves brought to the islands by the British. Other large ethnic groups include those of British and other European origin.

The 2004 Census reports:
The 2010 Census reports the main places of origin of residents as follows:
About 4% of the population is of Hispanic origin, irrespective of race, primarily from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The territory has also been recently relieving immigrants from many islands in Lesser Antilles. The islands are heavily dependent upon migrant labour. In 2004, migrant workers accounted for 50% of the total population. 32% of workers employed in the British Virgin Islands work for the government.

Unusually, the territory has one of the highest drowning mortality rates in the world being higher than other high risk countries such as China and India. 20% of deaths in the British Virgin Islands during 2012 were recorded as drownings, all of them being tourists. Despite this, the territory's most popular beach still has no lifeguard presence.

The British Virgin Islands operates several government schools as well as private schools. There is also a community college, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, that is located on the eastern end of Tortola. This college was named after Lavity Stoutt, the first Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands. It is extremely common for students from the British Virgin Islands to travel overseas for tertiary education, either to the University of the West Indies, or to colleges and universities in either the United Kingdom, United States, or Canada.

The literacy rate in the British Virgin Islands is high at 98%.

There is a University of the West Indies Open campus in the territory.

Over 90% of the population who indicated a religious affiliation at the 2010 Census were Christian with the largest individual Christian denominations being Methodist (17.6%), Anglican (12%), Church of God (11%) and Roman Catholic (9%). The Constitution of the British Virgin Islands commences with a professed national belief in God. Hindus and Muslims constitute each approximately 1.2% of the population according to Word Religion Database 2005.

The primary language is British English, although there is a local dialect. Spanish is spoken by Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Spanish-speaking immigrants.

The traditional music of the British Virgin Islands is called "fungi" after the local cornmeal dish with the same name, often made with okra. The special sound of fungi is due to a unique local fusion between African and European music. It functions as a medium of local history and folklore and is therefore a cherished cultural form of expression that is part of the curriculum in BVI schools. The fungi bands, also called "scratch bands", use instruments ranging from calabash, washboard, bongos and ukulele, to more traditional western instruments like keyboard, banjo, guitar, bass, triangle and saxophone. Apart from being a form of festive dance music, fungi often contains humorous social commentaries, as well as BVI oral history.

Among the noted names in Virgin Islands literature are Alphaeus Osario Norman (1885-1942), Verna Penn Moll, Jennie Wheatley, and Patricia G. Turnbull. Their poetry and that of 22 other writers, including the fastly emerging poet and literary critic Richard Georges, can be found in "Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in The Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke)", an anthology edited by Lasana M. Sekou in 2016.

Because of its location and climate the British Virgin Islands has long been a haven for sailing enthusiasts. Sailing is regarded as one of the foremost sports in all of the BVI. Calm waters and steady breezes provide some of the best sailing conditions in the Caribbean.

Many sailing events are held in the waters of this country, the largest of which is a week-long series of races called the Spring Regatta, the premier sailing event of the Caribbean, with several races hosted each day. Boats include everything from full-size mono-hull yachts to dinghies. Captains and their crews come from all around the world to attend these races. The Spring Regatta is part race, part party, part festival. There are races, games, and music during the day, and some partying at night. The Spring Regatta is normally held during the first week of April.

Since 2009, the BVI have made a name for themselves as a host of international basketball events. The BVI hosted three of the last four events of the Caribbean Basketball Championship ("FIBA CBC Championship").

British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially simply the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and since 2002 are British citizens as well. Although the territory is not part of the European Union and not directly subject to EU law, British Virgin Islanders are deemed to be citizens of the EU by virtue of their British citizenship.

In 1968 the British Government issued a memorandum requiring that the postage stamps in the territory should say "British Virgin Islands" (whereas previously they had simply stated "Virgin Islands"), a practice which is still followed today. This was likely to prevent confusion following on from the adoption of US currency in the Territory in 1959, and the references to US currency on the stamps of the Territory.

The Virgin Islands were first settled by the Arawak from South America around 100 BC (though there is some evidence of Amerindian presence on the islands as far back as 1500 BC). The Arawaks inhabited the islands until the 15th century when they were displaced by the more aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands, after whom the Caribbean Sea is named.

The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Columbus gave them the fanciful name "Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes" (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to "Las Vírgenes" (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula.

The Spanish Empire claimed the islands by discovery in the early 16th century, but never settled them, and subsequent years saw the English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danish all jostling for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates. There is no record of any native Amerindian population in the British Virgin Islands during this period, although most of the native population on nearby Saint Croix was killed or dispersed.

In 1917, the United States purchased St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix from Denmark for US$25 million, renaming them the United States Virgin Islands.

In addition to the four main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, other islands include (see also ):

Hurricanes occasionally hit the islands, with the hurricane season running from June to November. Hurricane Danny (2015) was the most recent until 6 September 2017 when Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage.

The islands were struck by Hurricane Irma on 6 September 2017, causing extensive damage, as well as four deaths in the BVI. A state of emergency was declared by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. The most significant damage was on Tortola. The UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited Tortola on 13 September 2017 and said that he was reminded of photos of Hiroshima after it had been hit by the atom bomb.

By 8 September, the UK government sent troops with medical supplies and other aid. More troops were expected to arrive a day or two later, but the ship
HMS Ocean, carrying more extensive assistance, was not expected to reach the islands for another two weeks, however.

The territory operates as a parliamentary democracy. Ultimate executive authority in British Virgin Islands is vested in the Queen, and is exercised on her behalf by the Governor of the British Virgin Islands. The governor is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the British government. Defence and most foreign affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom.

The current Governor is Augustus Jaspert (since 22 August 2017). The current Premier is Orlando Smith (since 9 November 2011), who is leader of the ruling National Democratic Party.

The territory is also technically divided into five administrative districts (one for each of the four largest islands, and then a fifth for all other islands), and into six civil registry districts (three for Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada) although these have little practical relevance today.

As a tax haven with an opaque banking system, the British Virgin Islands enjoys one of the more prosperous economies of the Caribbean region, with a per capita average income of around $42,300 (2010 est.)
The average monthly income earned by a worker in the territory was US$2,452 as at the time of the 2010 Census. 29% of the population fell into the "low income" category.

At the end of 2012 the banking sector of the British Virgin Islands comprised six commercial banks and one restricted bank, 12 authorised custodians, two licensed money services businesses and one licensed financing service provider.

In the April 2016 Panama Papers leak, the British Virgin Islands was the most commonly used tax haven by clients of Mossack Fonseca.

On June 30, 2014, The British Virgin Islands was deemed to have an Inter- Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the United States of America with respect to the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" of the United States of America.

The Model 1 Agreement (14 Pages) recognizes that:

The Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland provided a copy of the Letter of Entrustment which was sent to the Government of the British Virgin Islands, to the Government of the United States of America "via diplomatic note of May 28, 2014".

The Letter of Entrustment dated July 14, 2010 was originally provided to the Government of the British Virgin Islands and authorized the Govt of the BVI "to negotiate and conclude Agreements relating to taxation that provide for exchange of information on tax matters to the OECD standard" (Paragraph 2 of the FATCA Agreement).

Via an "Entrustment Letter" dated March 24, 2014, The Govt of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, authorized the Govt of the BVI to sign an agreement on information exchange to facilitate the Implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
On March 27, 2017, the US Treasury site disclosed that the Model 1 agreement and related agreement were "In Force" on July 13, 2015.

Under the UK Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2018, beneficial ownership of companies in British overseas territories such as the British Virgin Islands must be publicly registered for disclosure by 31 December 2020. The Government of the British Virgin Islands plans to challenge this law, arguing that it violates the Constitutional sovereignty granted to the islands.

Agriculture and industry account for only a small proportion of the islands' GDP. Agricultural produce includes fruit, vegetables, sugar cane, livestock and poultry, and industries include rum distillation, construction and boat building.

The official currency of the British Virgin Islands has been the United States dollar (US$) since 1959, the currency also used by the United States Virgin Islands.

The British Virgin Islands is heavily dependent on migrant workers, and over 50% of all workers on the islands are of a foreign descent. Only 37% of the entire population were born in the territory. The national labour-force is estimated at 12,770, of whom approximately 59.4% work in the service sector but less than 0.6% are estimated to work in agriculture (the balance in industry).

According to the membership section of the CARICOM Community site, as of July 2, 1991, The British Virgin Islands holds Associate Member status in CARICOM.

In recognition of the CARICOM (Free Movement) Skilled Persons Act which came into effect in July 1997 in some of the CARICOM countries such as Jamaica and which has been adopted in other CARICOM countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, it is possible that CARICOM nationals who hold the "A Certificate of Recognition of Caribbean Community Skilled Person" may be allowed to work in the BVI under normal working conditions.

Cyril E. King Airport in the US Virgin Islands has flights to a wider range of destinations, so is also used for travelling to the British Virgin Islands.

As of the 2010 Census, the population of the territory was 28,054. At the time of the 2003 census the population was around 21,730. The majority of the population (83%) are Afro-Caribbean, descended from slaves brought to the islands by the British. Other large ethnic groups include those of British and other European origin.

Unusually, the territory has one of the highest drowning mortality rates in the world being higher than other high risk countries such as China and India. 20% of deaths in the British Virgin Islands during 2012 were recorded as drownings, all of them being tourists. Despite this, the territory's most popular beach still has no lifeguard presence.

The literacy rate in the British Virgin Islands is high at 98%.

There is a University of the West Indies Open campus in the territory.

Over 90% of the population who indicated a religious affiliation at the 2010 Census were Christian with the largest individual Christian denominations being Methodist (17.6%), Anglican (12%), Church of God (11%) and Roman Catholic (9%). The Constitution of the British Virgin Islands commences with a professed national belief in God. Hindus and Muslims constitute each approximately 1.2% of the population according to Word Religion Database 2005.

The primary language is British English, although there is a local dialect. Spanish is spoken by Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Spanish-speaking immigrants.

Among the noted names in Virgin Islands literature are Alphaeus Osario Norman (1885-1942), Verna Penn Moll, Jennie Wheatley, and Patricia G. Turnbull. Their poetry and that of 22 other writers, including the fastly emerging poet and literary critic Richard Georges, can be found in "Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in The Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke)", an anthology edited by Lasana M. Sekou in 2016.

Because of its location and climate the British Virgin Islands has long been a haven for sailing enthusiasts. Sailing is regarded as one of the foremost sports in all of the BVI. Calm waters and steady breezes provide some of the best sailing conditions in the Caribbean.

Since 2009, the BVI have made a name for themselves as a host of international basketball events. The BVI hosted three of the last four events of the Caribbean Basketball Championship ("FIBA CBC Championship").

British Virgin Islands

The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially simply the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

British Virgin Islanders are British Overseas Territories citizens and since 2002 are British citizens as well. Although the territory is not part of the European Union and not directly subject to EU law, British Virgin Islanders are deemed to be citizens of the EU by virtue of their British citizenship.

In 1968 the British Government issued a memorandum requiring that the postage stamps in the territory should say "British Virgin Islands" (whereas previously they had simply stated "Virgin Islands"), a practice which is still followed today. This was likely to prevent confusion following on from the adoption of US currency in the Territory in 1959, and the references to US currency on the stamps of the Territory.

The Virgin Islands were first settled by the Arawak from South America around 100 BC (though there is some evidence of Amerindian presence on the islands as far back as 1500 BC). The Arawaks inhabited the islands until the 15th century when they were displaced by the more aggressive Caribs, a tribe from the Lesser Antilles islands, after whom the Caribbean Sea is named.

The first European sighting of the Virgin Islands was by the Spanish expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Columbus gave them the fanciful name "Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes" (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to "Las Vírgenes" (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula.

The Spanish Empire claimed the islands by discovery in the early 16th century, but never settled them, and subsequent years saw the English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danish all jostling for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates. There is no record of any native Amerindian population in the British Virgin Islands during this period, although most of the native population on nearby Saint Croix was killed or dispersed.

In 1917, the United States purchased St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix from Denmark for US$25 million, renaming them the United States Virgin Islands.

In addition to the four main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, other islands include (see also ):

Hurricanes occasionally hit the islands, with the hurricane season running from June to November. Hurricane Danny (2015) was the most recent until 6 September 2017 when Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage.

The islands were struck by Hurricane Irma on 6 September 2017, causing extensive damage, as well as four deaths in the BVI. A state of emergency was declared by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. The most significant damage was on Tortola. The UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited Tortola on 13 September 2017 and said that he was reminded of photos of Hiroshima after it had been hit by the atom bomb.

By 8 September, the UK government sent troops with medical supplies and other aid. More troops were expected to arrive a day or two later, but the ship
HMS Ocean, carrying more extensive assistance, was not expected to reach the islands for another two weeks, however.

The territory operates as a parliamentary democracy. Ultimate executive authority in British Virgin Islands is vested in the Queen, and is exercised on her behalf by the Governor of the British Virgin Islands. The governor is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the British government. Defence and most foreign affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingdom.

The current Governor is Augustus Jaspert (since 22 August 2017). The current Premier is Orlando Smith (since 9 November 2011), who is leader of the ruling National Democratic Party.

The territory is also technically divided into five administrative districts (one for each of the four largest islands, and then a fifth for all other islands), and into six civil registry districts (three for Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda and Anegada) although these have little practical relevance today.

As a tax haven with an opaque banking system, the British Virgin Islands enjoys one of the more prosperous economies of the Caribbean region, with a per capita average income of around $42,300 (2010 est.)
The average monthly income earned by a worker in the territory was US$2,452 as at the time of the 2010 Census. 29% of the population fell into the "low income" category.

At the end of 2012 the banking sector of the British Virgin Islands comprised six commercial banks and one restricted bank, 12 authorised custodians, two licensed money services businesses and one licensed financing service provider.

In the April 2016 Panama Papers leak, the British Virgin Islands was the most commonly used tax haven by clients of Mossack Fonseca.

On June 30, 2014, The British Virgin Islands was deemed to have an Inter- Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the United States of America with respect to the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" of the United States of America.

The Model 1 Agreement (14 Pages) recognizes that:

The Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland provided a copy of the Letter of Entrustment which was sent to the Government of the British Virgin Islands, to the Government of the United States of America "via diplomatic note of May 28, 2014".

The Letter of Entrustment dated July 14, 2010 was originally provided to the Government of the British Virgin Islands and authorized the Govt of the BVI "to negotiate and conclude Agreements relating to taxation that provide for exchange of information on tax matters to the OECD standard" (Paragraph 2 of the FATCA Agreement).

Via an "Entrustment Letter" dated March 24, 2014, The Govt of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, authorized the Govt of the BVI to sign an agreement on information exchange to facilitate the Implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
On March 27, 2017, the US Treasury site disclosed that the Model 1 agreement and related agreement were "In Force" on July 13, 2015.

Under the UK Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2018, beneficial ownership of companies in British overseas territories such as the British Virgin Islands must be publicly registered for disclosure by 31 December 2020. The Government of the British Virgin Islands plans to challenge this law, arguing that it violates the Constitutional sovereignty granted to the islands.

Agriculture and industry account for only a small proportion of the islands' GDP. Agricultural produce includes fruit, vegetables, sugar cane, livestock and poultry, and industries include rum distillation, construction and boat building.

The official currency of the British Virgin Islands has been the United States dollar (US$) since 1959, the currency also used by the United States Virgin Islands.

The British Virgin Islands is heavily dependent on migrant workers, and over 50% of all workers on the islands are of a foreign descent. Only 37% of the entire population were born in the territory. The national labour-force is estimated at 12,770, of whom approximately 59.4% work in the service sector but less than 0.6% are estimated to work in agriculture (the balance in industry).

According to the membership section of the CARICOM Community site, as of July 2, 1991, The British Virgin Islands holds Associate Member status in CARICOM.

In recognition of the CARICOM (Free Movement) Skilled Persons Act which came into effect in July 1997 in some of the CARICOM countries such as Jamaica and which has been adopted in other CARICOM countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, it is possible that CARICOM nationals who hold the "A Certificate of Recognition of Caribbean Community Skilled Person" may be allowed to work in the BVI under normal working conditions.

Cyril E. King Airport in the US Virgin Islands has flights to a wider range of destinations, so is also used for travelling to the British Virgin Islands.

As of the 2010 Census, the population of the territory was 28,054. At the time of the 2003 census the population was around 21,730. The majority of the population (83%) are Afro-Caribbean, descended from slaves brought to the islands by the British. Other large ethnic groups include those of British and other European origin.

Unusually, the territory has one of the highest drowning mortality rates in the world being higher than other high risk countries such as China and India. 20% of deaths in the British Virgin Islands during 2012 were recorded as drownings, all of them being tourists. Despite this, the territory's most popular beach still has no lifeguard presence.

The literacy rate in the British Virgin Islands is high at 98%.

There is a University of the West Indies Open campus in the territory.

Over 90% of the population who indicated a religious affiliation at the 2010 Census were Christian with the largest individual Christian denominations being Methodist (17.6%), Anglican (12%), Church of God (11%) and Roman Catholic (9%). The Constitution of the British Virgin Islands commences with a professed national belief in God. Hindus and Muslims constitute each approximately 1.2% of the population according to Word Religion Database 2005.

The primary language is British English, although there is a local dialect. Spanish is spoken by Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Spanish-speaking immigrants.

Among the noted names in Virgin Islands literature are Alphaeus Osario Norman (1885-1942), Verna Penn Moll, Jennie Wheatley, and Patricia G. Turnbull. Their poetry and that of 22 other writers, including the fastly emerging poet and literary critic Richard Georges, can be found in "Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in The Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke)", an anthology edited by Lasana M. Sekou in 2016.

Because of its location and climate the British Virgin Islands has long been a haven for sailing enthusiasts. Sailing is regarded as one of the foremost sports in all of the BVI. Calm waters and steady breezes provide some of the best sailing conditions in the Caribbean.

Since 2009, the BVI have made a name for themselves as a host of international basketball events. The BVI hosted three of the last four events of the Caribbean Basketball Championship ("FIBA CBC Championship").

British Virgin Islands (BVI) – British overseas territory located in the eastern portion of the Virgin Islands Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The Virgin Islands are part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. The United States Virgin Islands comprises the western portion of the archipelago. Technically the name of the Territory is simply the "Virgin Islands", but in practice since 1917 they have been almost universally referred to as the "British Virgin Islands" to distinguish the islands from the American Territory. To add to the regional confusion, the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra, Vieques and surrounding islands began referring to themselves as the "Spanish Virgin Islands" as part of a tourism drive in the early 2000s.

Outline of the British Virgin Islands

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the British Virgin Islands:

The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. Approximately fifteen of the islands are inhabited. The largest island, Tortola, is approximately 20 km (approx. 12 mi) long and 5 km (approx. 3 mi) wide. The islands have a total population of about 22,000, of whom approximately 18,000 live on Tortola. Road Town, the capital, is situated on Tortola.Geography of the British Virgin Islands
Regions of the British Virgin Islands

List of ecoregions in the British Virgin Islands

Administrative divisions of the British Virgin Islands

Provinces of the British Virgin Islands

Districts of the British Virgin Islands

Municipalities of the British Virgin Islands

Demographics of the British Virgin Islands

Politics of the British Virgin Islands

Government of the British Virgin Islands
Court system of the British Virgin Islands

Foreign relations of the British Virgin Islands

The government of the British Virgin Islands is a member of:

Law of the British Virgin Islands

Military of the British Virgin Islands

Local government in the British Virgin Islands

History of the British Virgin Islands

Culture of the British Virgin IslandsAmong the noted names in Virgin Islands literature are Alphaeus Osario Norman (1885-1942), Verna Penn Moll, Jennie Wheatley, and Patricia G. Turnbull. Their poetry and that of 22 other writers, including the fastly emerging poet and literary critic Richard Georges, can be found in "Where I See the Sun – Contemporary Poetry in The Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke)", an anthology edited by Lasana M. Sekou in 2016.Sports in the British Virgin Islands

Economy of the British Virgin Islands

Education in the British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands