Robert William Liversidge (11 June 1904 – 30 September 1994), formerly Jacob (Jack) Perlsweig, was a British businessman whose activities sometimes attracted the attention of the police and intelligence services. He was also a reputed spy and the subject of a cause célèbre as an internee in Britain during the Second World War. Early life Liversidge's parents, Asher Perlsweig, a rabbi, and Sarah, were Jewish immigrants to Britain from Russia. He was born in Harringay, London, one of five brothers and three sisters. He left school at the age of 14 and drifted before becoming involved in financial services. In July 1928 two of his associates, David and Dore Baumgart, were tried at the Old Bailey for conspiracy to defraud over share dealings in which Liversidge was also alleged to have been involved. An arrest warrant was issued for him, but it was never executed. He subsequently admitted that he had become involved with some dishonest people, but he always denied being guilty of any wrongdoing. Some time before 1931 he adopted the name Liversidge (the married name of his eldest sister). In 1931 he applied for a Canadian passport in that name, claiming to have been born in Toronto and misstating his date of birth. He eventually managed a Hollywood recording studio, meeting a minor actress, Wanda Stevenson, and marrying her in 1936. Liversidge returned to Britain in 1936, and became a wealthy and successful businessman. He legally changed his name to Liversidge in September 1937. However, his return was brought to the attention of the police by an informer and, although the arrest warrant from 1928 had been withdrawn in 1933, his Canadian passport was confiscated. Liversidge's business activities brought him into contact both with people involved in the intelligence services and with people who held views sympathetic to fascism. Lord Verulam was associated with MI6. Cudbert Thornhill had been a military attaché in Petrograd from 1916 to 1918 and later worked in political intelligence in the Foreign Office during the Second World War. Norman Thwaites, who had worked in intelligence in New York City during the First World War and had recruited the spy Sidney Reilly, chaired meetings for the fascist January Club and was an associate of H. W. Luttman-Johnson. Compton Mackenzie had been an intelligence officer in the First World War and had become a prominent Scottish nationalist. William Stephenson was a Canadian spy. Van