Enemies of the State Read online

  2. Quoted in E P Thompson, The Making of the English Working Class (London, Penguin, 1991), p. 792.

  3. Works of John Keats, vol. 5 (1901), p. 108.

  4. Quoted in Thompson, English Working Class, p. 803.

  5. Shorter Oxford Dictionary (1993), p. 2522.

  6. G M Thomson, The Prime Ministers (London, Secker & Warburg, 1980), p. 77. As Thomson points out, he was beaten on all three counts and in that order by Lord John Russell, the Duke of Grafton and Robert Peel!

  7. Quoted ibid., p. 76.

  8. Quoted in Carl Sifakis, The Encyclopedia of Assassinations (London, Headline, 1993), p. 337.

  9. Quoted in Thompson, English Working Class, p. 623.

  10. Quoted in Brian Bailey, Hangmen of England (London, W H Allen, 1989), p. 44.

  11. So-called because safe seats like Cashel were under the total control (in the pocket) of certain families.

  12. Quoted in Thomson, Prime Ministers, p. 71.

  13. Not everyone believed that. Some over-eager tourists, believing the war was permanently over, went over to France and found themselves in prison there when it was renewed. Some of them were not released until 1814!

  14. Quoted in Geoffrey Treasure, Who’s Who in Late Hanoverian Britain (London, Shepheard-Walyn, 1997), p. 289.

  15. A quirk in the constitution meant that Irish peers could sit in the Commons.

  16. Thomson, Prime Ministers, p. 92.

  17. Ibid.

  18. Henry Legge, MP.

  Chapter 6

  1. Quoted in Geoffrey Treasure, Who’s Who in Late Hanoverian Britain (London, Shepheard-Walyn, 1997), p. 351.

  2. No one at that early stage in education considered the possible indoctrination of children; that Thomas Spence was busily turning Newcastle into a Communist state!

  3. He even wrote an account of his 1801 trial in this form.

  4. He spoke French tolerably well.

  5. Grinning matches were usually played by toothless old men contorting their mouths. The most hideous was the winner.

  6. Quoted in Clive Bloom, Violent London (London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 2003), p. 189.

  7. For a brilliant discussion of the complexity (and ineptitude) of pre-Peelite policemen see T A Critchley and P D James, The Maul and the Pear Tree (London, Sphere, 1971).

  8. Paraphrased from The Examiner (16 Nov. 1816).

  Chapter 7

  1. Richard Belfield, Assassination: The Killers and their Paymasters Revealed (London, Magpie (Constable), 2005).

  2. The parallels with Cato Street can only go so far. The king’s power was still paramount in the reign of James I whereas by 1820, George IV was almost an irrelevance. Half-baked though the Gunpowder Plot may have been, the idea was almost certainly to replace James with a Catholic alternative. In both assassination attempts, the conspirators expected the country to rise to back them.

  3. Quoted in E P Thompson The Making of the English Working Class (London, Penguin, 1991), p. 530.

  4. Treasury Solicitor’s Papers, 6 March 1817, 11.351

  5. Moscow had been burnt almost to the ground by the Russians in 1812 in an attempt to drive the invading French army under Napoleon out.

  6. The Trial of Jeremiah Brandreth, Oct. 1817.

  Chapter 8

  1. Quoted in Joyce Marlow, The Peterloo Massacre (London, Readers’ Union, 1970), p. 50.

  2. This is a very odd reference and presumably refers to the Pendle witch trials of 1612. Were the witches seen as earlier examples of poor, oppressed people suffering under the tyranny of arbitrary law?

  3. Pikes are referred to consistently in this period. They were homemade and the authorities seem to regard them as almost the weapon of choice, the symbol of insurrection.

  4. In fact the wording contained the equivalent of a double negative. It said that the Magistrates ‘do hereby caution all Persons to abstain at their peril from attending . . .’

  5. Henry Hunt, An Address to the Reformers of Manchester and its Neighbourhood, 11 Aug. 1819.

  6. No relation to the lady on the hustings with Hunt.

  7. One of those swords, supposedly from Peterloo, was the inspiration for Howard Spring’s Fame is the Spur.

  8. Samuel Bamford, Passages in the Life of a Radical (1967 edn; originally published London, T F Unwin, 1893).

  9. Ibid.

  Chapter 9

  1. Works of John Keats, p. 108.

  2. Wilkinson, An Authentic History of the Cato Street Conspiracy (London, Thomas Kelly, 1820), pp. 56–7.

  3. Ibid., p. 398.

  4. The pre-1832 voting system was highly complicated. A tiny handful of the working class could actually vote depending on the property in which they lived.

  5. ‘Trial of Richard Tidd’, p 326.

  6. Bradburn (also spelt Blackburn), Gilchrist, Cooper and Monument are not listed on the original document.

  Chapter 10

  1. Percy Bysshe Shelley, England in 1819, 1839.

  2. ‘The Trial of James Brunt’.

  3. ‘The Trial of James Ings’.

  4. In fact, the likeness of Thistlewood, judging from the drawing made at the trial, is quite accurate.

  5. Technically, a carbine is a short musket used by the cavalry and capable of being fired in one hand. A blunderbuss is an early shotgun, scattering pellets in a wide arc. This would have been more useful at Grosvenor Square.

  6. There is some confusion over the man’s rank. He was presumably promoted by the time of the Cato Street trials, but there ‘Lieutenant’ and ‘Captain’ are used interchangeably.

  7. So either Thistlewood fired three guns or somebody else was shooting too.

  8. The engraver of the Cato Street building, A Wivell, actually shows this in his work.

  9. Robert Burns, March to Bannockburn.

  Chapter 11

  1. This is still the law today and for the worst modern example of its cruelty and injustice, see M J Trow, Let Him Have It, Chris (London, Constable, 1990).

  2. Perhaps another spelling of Surman or Sarmon.

  3. A commission empowering a judge in Great Britain to hear and rule on a criminal case at the assizes.

  4. One of hundreds of examples where the law used archaic or downright wrong words in its official capacity.

  5. Technically, James Wilson’s case was delayed pending the misnomer plea. He was in fact ‘trying it on’ because the only difference was that his middle name, William, had been added in the indictment. The decision to overrule the plea however lay with the Attorney-General, hardly a disinterested party.

  Chapter 12

  1. This may have been to save time and ultimately money.

  2. Shackled with chains at the wrists and ankles, making escape impossible. Ings was only cuffed because he had been ill in gaol.

  3. Marcus Tullius Cicero, one of the best known advocates and orators in the ancient world.

  4. Technically the word implies belief in a remote Creator who does not interfere in the present world. I suspect that several of the conspirators had probably abandoned God altogether.

  5. Interestingly, an account of this case – Holloway and Haggerty were accused of murdering Mr Steele on Hounslow Heath – was written by James Harmer, the Cato Street conspirators’ solicitor.

  6. £2 2s or £2 10p. In today’s currency about £200.

  7. By 1820, this was a generic term for the hangman. The original Ketch, John Catch, took up the job in September 1663 and officiated at the execution of the Duke of Monmouth and the pillorying of Titus Oates.

  Chapter 13

  1. Quoted in Brian Bailey, The Hangmen of England (London, W H Allen, 1989), p. 50.

  2. Letter to Joseph Tyas, quoted in E P Thompson, The Making of the English Working Class (London, Penguin, 1991), p. 777.

  3. H Montgomery Hyde, The Strange Death of Lord Castlereagh (London, Heinemann, 1959).

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  BAILEY, BRIAN. Hangmen of England (London, W H Allen, 1989)

  BLOOM, CLIVE. Violent Lo
ndon (London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 2003)

  BOSTON, RAY. The Essential Fleet Street: Its History and Influence (London, Blandford, 1990)

  BYRNE, RICHARD. Prisons and Punishments of London (London, Grafton, 1992)

  CHAPMAN, PAULINE. Madame Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors (London, Grafton, 1985)

  CLOUT, HUGH, ed. The Times London History Atlas (London, BCA, 1991)

  COBBETT, WILLIAM. Rural Rides (London, Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1830)

  COLE, HUBERT. Things for the Surgeon: A History of the Resurrection Men (London, Heinemann, 1964)

  EVANS, ERIC J. Britain before the Reform Act: Politics and Society 1815–32 (London, Longman, 1989)

  FIDO, MARTIN. Murder Guide to London (London, Grafton, 1987)

  HIBBERT, CHRISTOPHER. George IV (London, Penguin, 1972)

  HIBBERT, CHRISTOPHER. Nelson: A Personal History (London, Viking, 1994)

  LINNANE, FERGUS. London’s Underworld: Three Centuries of Vice and Crime (London, Robson, 2004)

  LONGFORD, ELIZABETH. Wellington: Pillar of State (London, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1972)

  MARLOW, JOYCE. The Peterloo Massacre (London, Readers’ Union, 1969)

  MONTGOMERY HYDE, H. The Strange Death of Lord Castlereagh (London, Icon, 1967)

  SIFAKIS, CARL. Encyclopaedia of Assassinations (London, Headline, 1993)

  STANHOPE, JOHN. The Cato Street Conspiracy (London, Jonathan Cape, 1962)

  THOMPSON, E P. The Making of the English Working Class (London, Penguin, 1991)

  TREASURE, GEOFFREY. Who’s Who in Late Hanoverian Britain (London, Shepheard-Walwyn, 1997)

  WILKINSON, GEORGE THEODORE. An Authentic History of the Cato Street Conspiracy (London, Thomas Kelly, 1820)

  WILSON, BEN. Decency and Disorder 1789–1837 (London, Faber & Faber, 2007)

  INDEX

  Abbott, Mr Justice 58, 91, 95, 146, 150, 155, 162

  Act of Union (Ireland) 39, 53, 67, 71

  Adams, Robert 121, 125, 129-130, 134, 143, 147-148, 150-151, 153, 155, 157-160, 162

  Addington, Henry – see Sidmouth

  Adkins, Governor 145

  Adolphus, Barrister 148, 150-151, 158-159

  Artillery Ground 8, 128

  Ashton, John 109

  Ashworth, Joseph 109

  Ashworth, Thomas 109

  Baker, John 109

  Baldwin’s Gardens 119, 124, 177

  Bamford, Samuel 23, 32, 60, 83, 100, 101-103, 107-109, 110–111, 114

  Barnes, Thomas 65, 115

  Bartholomew Fair 114-115

  Basey, Pte James 136-137

  Bastille, The 25-27, 29, 43-46, 52, 65, 85-86, 102, 178

  Bathurst, Henry 73, 139

  Bayley, Mr Justice 91

  Bellingham, John 62-64, 164

  Best (Barrister) 47

  Binns, John 33-34, 36

  Birley, Capt. Hugh 106-107

  Birmingham 29, 35

  Birnie, Richard 134, 136-138, 140, 143, 148

  Bishop, Daniel 138, 143

  Bissex, Charles 4-5, 151

  Blanketeers 92

  Bolland, Barrister 139, 151, 159

  Bonaparte, Napoleon 11, 13, 17, 18, 20-22, 27, 37, 39, 53, 57, 63, 67, 69, 81

  Botting, James 165-169

  Bow Street Runners 15, 46, 50, 133-134, 136-137, 142-143, 148-149, 176

  Bow Street 46, 84, 137, 138

  Bradburn, Amelia 148

  Bradburn, Richard 5, 15, 124, 137, 141, 146-147, 160, 162

  Bradshaw, William 109

  Brandreth, Ann 97

  Brandreth, Jeremiah 94–8, 126, 149, 150, 163, 173

  Broderick, Barrister 148, 160

  Brookes, William 136, 142

  Broughton, Thomas 46, 50

  Brunskill, William 50-52, 64

  Brunt, John 2-3, 7, 11-12, 120–1, 125, 128 130, 134, 145-147, 149, 151, 153-154, 158–9, 162-163, 166-169, 174-175, 177

  Brunt, Mary 120–1, 148, 171

  Buckley, Thomas 109

  Burdett, Sir Francis 23, 32, 44–5, 60, 65, 84 85, 89, 93, 114, 118

  Burke, Edmund 25, 27-29, 31, 33, 69, 76

  Butterworth, William 109

  Byng, Major General John 94, 102, 105, 115, 117

  Canning, George 66-68–70, 89, 139

  Carlile, Richard 58-59, 105, 114-115, 120, 159

  Carlton House 4, 31, 85, 127

  Caroline of Brunswick 127–8, 172

  Cartwright, Major John 59, 60, 102, 103, 114

  Castle, John 86, 89–93, 96-97, 125-126

  Castlereagh, Lord 1, 2, 7, 8, 17–18, 65-66, 69, 70–2, 89, 96, 127, 130, 139, 142, 144, 152, 154, 160, 161-162, 175-177

  Catholic Emancipation 49, 62, 67, 69, 71

  Cato Street 3, 7-8, 12, 50, 124, 129-130, 134, 137, 139, 142-143, 145, 151-153, 157, 160, 162, 172, 177

  Chambers, Thomas 158

  Cheapside 85-86, 89

  Christian Polity, the Salvation of the Empire 78

  Cobbett, William 12, 21-23, 30, 32, 57, 59-60, 74, 83-84, 93, 98, 100, 102, 117–18, 144, 178

  Coleman, Catherine 109

  Coleridge, Samuel 44, 51, 64

  Committee of Two Hundred 116, 176-177 Commonsense 28

  Conant, Sir Nathaniel 84, 85

  Cook (conspirator) 128, 134, 158

  Cooper, Charles 5, 15, 124, 137-138, 142, 146-147, 160, 162

  Corn Laws 22-23, 72, 87, 100, 102

  Cotton, Reverend 163, 166-167

  Crompton, James 109

  Cross, Barrister 96-97

  Cruikshank, George 87, 89, 97, 133

  Curtis, Pte William 137

  Curtius, Dr Phillipe 52

  Curwood, Barrister 125, 148, 150, 152-155, 157-158

  Dallas, Mr Justice Robert 95, 150, 157

  Davidson, Sarah 124, 148, 171, 174

  Davidson, William 2-3, 5-7, 15, 25, 41-42, 57, 72, 75, 121–4, 132, 134-138, 143, 145 147, 149, 151-152, 159 163, 166-169, 174

  Dawson, William 109

  de Launay, Bernard 26,46

  Denman, Barrister 96, 97

  Dennison, Henry 109

  Despard, Catherine 42, 44, 45, 49, 52, 67

  Despard, Edward 41–55, 57, 59-60, 64, 77, 82-83, 86, 88, 93, 119, 122, 129, 159, 163

  Despard, James 42

  Dwyer, Thomas 153-155, 161, 175

  Edgware Road 12, 129, 136

  Edwards, George 2, 4-6, 8, 24, 119-120, 125 126, 134, 138, 150, 152-156, 158-161, 165, 168, 174, 176

  Eldon, Lord 4, 45, 65, 70, 139, 175, 177

  Ellenborough, Lord 48, 53, 58, 91, 116

  Ellis, James 134-137, 142

  Elrington, Capt. J H 145

  Equiano, Olaudah 42–3

  Erskine, Thomas 40-41

  Ethelston, Reverend Charles 100, 102

  Evans, Thomas Jnr 78, 82, 90

  Evans, Thomas Snr 78, 82, 90

  Fildes, Ann 106

  Fildes, Mrs 105-106

  Fildes, William 106, 109

  Firth, William 132, 145-146, 172

  Fitzclarence, Capt. 135-137, 141, 148

  Fox Court 125, 129-130, 151, 177

  Fox, Charles James 27, 28, 30, 32, 58, 62, 93

  Foxen, James 165, 168-169

  Francis, John 46–7, 50-51, 53

  Friends of the People 40

  Furnival’s Inn 36, 43, 151

  Gee’s Court 43, 152, 177

  George III 27, 31, 34, 40, 66-67, 70-71, 92, 127, 133

  George IV (Prince Regent) 31, 70, 84-85, 89, 92, 102, 110, 114, 127, 147, 157, 167, 172

  George, Robert 146-147, 172

  Gerald, Joseph 32-33

  Gilchrist, James 5, 15, 124, 137, 142, 146 147, 160, 162, 172

  Gill (Bow Street Runner) 147

  Gilray, James 35, 87

  Goldworthy, George 160, 161

  Goodwin, Margaret 109

  Gordon Riots 43, 46, 54, 55

  Graham, Arthur 46, 50

  Gray’s Inn Lane 152

  Grosvenor Square 8, 72, 116, 125, 127, 129, 132, 139, 151-152, 159, 160, 177<
br />
  Gurney (Barrister) 47

  Hadfield, James 39, 40-41, 133

  Hall, Abel 124-125, 134, 143, 146-147, 172

  Hampden Clubs 59, 60, 95, 100

  Hanson, Sgt Edward 19

  Hardy, Capt. Thomas 35

  Hardy, Thomas 31-33, 40

  Harmer, James 109, 148, 176

  Harrison, Caroline 148

  Harrison, William 7, 127-130, 132, 134, 145-147, 160, 165

  Harrowby, Lord 1-9, 22, 63, 65, 68-70, 72, 125, 127, 129, 132, 138-139, 152, 154, 157, 163, 172, 174-175, 177

  Hay, Reverend William 100

  Hayle, Joseph 121, 125, 151

  Hazard, William 172

  Healey, Dr Joseph 60, 101, 104, 109

  Heys, Mary 109

  Hobhouse, John Cam 116, 144, 153, 176

  Holborn 36, 43, 54, 76, 124, 128, 149

  Hole-in-the-Wall Passage 3, 19, 119, 125, 129, 177

  Holroyd, Mr Justice 91, 95

  Hone, William 58-59, 97

  Hooper, John 79, 85, 91

  Hucklestone, Edward 13, 154

  Hulton, William 107

  Hunt, Henry 3, 83-86, 89, 90, 93, 98, 101-105, 107, 109-110, 113-115, 117, 119, 158, 178

  Huskisson, William 66, 73, 144

  Hyden, Thomas 13, 150, 152-153, 155, 157-158, 161

  Ings, Celia 171, 173

  Ings, James 3, 5–8, 12, 15, 19, 24, 34, 72, 119–20, 124-125, 129-130, 132, 134-137–8, 142, 145-147, 149-150, 157-158, 161-163, 166-169, 173–4

  Ings, William 174

  Jenkinson, Robert – see Liverpool

  Jervis, Mary 109

  John Street 130, 132, 135, 160

  Johnson, Joseph 60, 101, 107

  Jolliffe, Lt Hylton 108

  Jones, Dr John 78, 116-117

  Jones, Sarah 109

  Kaylock, George 130

  Keats, John 58, 113

  Keynes, John 79

  King’s Bench, Court of 91, 114

  Knight, John 60, 100, 105

  L’Estrange, Lt Col Guy 106-107

  Lander, Despard conspirator 49

  Lavender, John 138

  Lees, John 109

  Legge, Sergeant 136, 142

  Litchfield, Treasury Solicitor 90

  Littledale, Barrister 151

  Liverpool, Lord 5-7, 14, 22, 24, 65–6, 68-69, 73-74, 92, 127, 138, 175

  London Corresponding Society (LCS) 33 34, 43-44, 75, 82

  Londonderry, Marquess of – see Castlereagh Louis XVI 25-26, 30, 34, 52, 66

  Luddites 18-19, 21, 58, 62-64, 89

  Ludlam, Isaac 94-96

  Mansion House 8, 128, 158

  Marie Antoinette 30, 52

  Marx, Karl 15, 17