Gale Benson
Gale Benson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gale Ann Plugge 4 November 1944 London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 2 January 1972 (aged 27) |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Hale Kimga |
| Occupations | |
| Known for | Victim of murder |
| Spouse |
Jonathan Benson
(m. 1964; div. 1970) |
| Parents |
|
Gale Ann Benson (née Plugge; 4 November 1944 – 2 January 1972), later known as Hale Kimga, was a British model, socialite and daughter of politician Leonard Plugge. She was a supporter of the black power movement through her relationship with the activist Hakim Jamal. Benson was stabbed and buried alive by associates of Michael X while she attended his compound in Trinidad and Tobago.
Life
Benson was born to Leonard Plugge, a millionaire, scientist and Conservative MP.[1] She worked as a model.[1]
On December 12, 1964, Benson married Jonathan Benson.[2] Her husband was a socialite film director and Benson developed a social conscience through interactions with his acquaintances.[3] Benson maintained friendships with film stars, business tycoons and international celebrities.[1]
Benson met Michael X and developed an infatuation with him.[3] She changed her clothing style from expensive frocks to scruffy jeans and attended black power demonstrations.[3] Benson provided secretarial and organisational assistance to Michael X in addition to helping him establish connections through her social network.[3] Jonathan described Benson's actions as "rebelling against her totally conformist English background."[3] Benson and her husband divorced in 1970.[3]
Benson was eventually spurned by Michael X once she no longer had any use to him.[3] She promptly fell in love with another black activist, writer Hakim Jamal.[3] Benson converted to Islam;[1] she adopted the Muslim name Hale Kimga which was an anagram of his and her first names.[3]
At the end of 1971, Benson and Jamal arrived in Guyana where Jamal sought to establish a publishing house but the government refused to renew his visa.[3] On December 9, the couple flew to Trinidad and visited the commune of Michael X which had been established earlier that year.[3] Benson and Jamal rented their own residence nearby but made almost nightly visits to the commune.[3]
Benson became a "familiar figure" in Arima where she stood out as one of its few white residents.[4] She was often adorned in an African-style dashiki and walked barefoot.[4] Benson was considered to be in worship of Jamal; their interracial relationship made them the recipients of threats and insults.[1]
Murder
Benson is believed to have died on the morning of January 2, 1972.[5] Her death was ordered by Michael X because she was causing "mental strain" to Jamal.[6] She was stabbed at least 10 times after she stepped into a grave that had been dug for her.[6] Benson was also partially strangled but there was evidence that she had been buried alive.[5]
Trina Simmonds was staying on the commune at the time of Benson's death.[3] She recounted that she had a conversation with Jamal that morning where he claimed that Benson had left him and had no awareness of her whereabouts.[3]
On February 20, 1972, Michael X's home was destroyed by fire in a suspected arson attack.[4] Police conducted a search for weapons that they believed to be buried on the grounds of the property.[4] On February 22, they uncovered the body of 25-year-old local barber Joseph Skerritt.[4] Two days later, police discovered the body of Benson.[4]
Adolphus Parmassar, who was accused of involvement in the murders of Benson and Skerritt, had proceedings dropped against him to testify for the prosecution.[6] Steve Yeates was alleged to have inflicted the final wound to Benson before she was covered in the grave; he allegedly drowned before the bodies were discovered.[6] Two men, Stanley Abbott and Edward Chadee, were sentenced to death for their involvement in her murder.[7]
Chadee's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Abbott was hanged in 1979. Michael X was charged with Benson's murder but never tried; he was sentenced to death for the murder of Skerritt on 21 August 1972,[8] and hanged in Port of Spain's Royal Gaol in May 1975.
Jamal was murdered in the United States in 1973, just over a year after Benson's own death.[9]
Cultural references
The movie The Bank Job (2008) portrays Michael X as having been in possession of indecent photographs of Princess Margaret stored in a bank vault, and using them to blackmail the British establishment. Hattie Morahan plays Benson, whom the film portrays as a spy whose role is to find any additional photos or negatives Michael X may have.
Benson is a central character in Diana Athill's memoir of her friendship with Gale's lover, Hakim Jamal, Make Believe: A True Story.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e Martin, George (5 March 1972). "Girl Who Chose Danger". Sunday Mirror. p. 4. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mr. J. S. R. Benson and Miss G.-A. M. Plugge". The Daily Telegraph. 14 December 1964. p. 14. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Maule, Henry; Jaedier, Kermit (21 May 1972). "A Daughter Of Wealth And Doom". Daily News. p. 247. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Smith, John (27 February 1972). "Secrets of the Michael X Girl". Sunday Mirror. p. 4. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Maule, Henry; Jaedier, Kermit (21 May 1972). "A Daughter Of Wealth And Doom". Daily News. p. 246. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "A court guard for stabbing trial finale". Lancashire Telegraph. 16 July 1973. p. 2. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Two to die for murder of Gale Benson". The Daily Telegraph. 17 July 1973. p. 17. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Michael X' Doomed in Trinidad Murder". The New York Times. Reuters. 22 August 1972. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "Shotgun gang murder Black Power leader". Daily Mirror. 3 May 1973. p. 2. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Athill, Diana, Make Believe: A True Story, London: Sinclair-Stevenson, 1993.