A COMMUNIST-sympathising shipyard worker was kept under surveillance by the British security services because they suspected he was passing on information to Russia, top secret documents unsealed after more than 60 years show.

Confidential reports held in the National Archives and cracked open by The Mail shed light on how MI5, Scotland Yard and Barrow’s local police force kept a close eye on well-known Communist Party member William Paisley Earsman when he worked at the Vickers shipyard in the late 1920s.

Described as a ‘distinctly dangerous man’, Earsman previously served in the Soviet Red Army and later worked as inspector at the shipyard.

Security services kept track of Earsman, documents say, fearing in the event of a potential war, the USSR was preparing to sabotage British machinery and aeroplanes, a practice he was said to have taught in Russia’s military academy.

Bundles of documents held in the archive included intercepted letters sent to and from Earsman as well as classified correspondence from the director of MI5.

Reports on Earsman suggested that while an officer in the Red Army he served as a teacher and gave lectures on how to sabotage machinery and aeroplanes.

A 1927 letter addressed to the chief constable of Barrow’s police force by MI5 director and founder Sir Vernon Kell said: “We have reason to believe that Earsman, who is staying at the Hotel Imperial, Barrow-in-Furness and who is employed by [Soviet trade organization] Arcos, Limited, in connection with contracts at Vickers Ltd is attempting to obtain information of a confidential nature from some of the employees in Vickers.

“We should be glad if you could cause very discreet enquiries to be made with a view to establishing the identity of Earsman’s associates who are employed in Vickers’ Works.

“As Earsman himself is a prominent communist it is possible that he may be using other Communists in Vickers Works for the purpose of acquiring this information.

“We are not communicating with the firm on the subject.”

Earsman came to the attention of the security services after they suspected that members of the Communist Party were engaged ‘industrial, military or political espionage’.

A letter to the director of MI5 from Special Branch said: “I have the most reliable information that agents are being planted in the chemical Industries in this country and in the textile industries whose primary duty it is in case of war to arrange for immediate sabotage in these industries.

“I have no evidence upon which police can take action at the moment in regard to this.”

Further documents released by the national archives cast light on the suspicions directed towards Earsman.

A confidential dossier compiled on him said: “Earsman was ever untruthful, cunning and unscrupulous; selfish, violent tempered and in all things unreliable.

“He has considerable shrewdness and is plausible.

“He is a distinctly dangerous man.”

There are no records of Earsman ever being arrested by police.

He later returned to his native Scotland and became secretary of the Edinburgh Trades Council, and in 1948 he was appointed President of the Scottish Council of the Labour Party.

A founder member of the Edinburgh Festival Society, he was later awarded an OBE in 1950 for work in connection with the festival. He died on January 13 1965.