Has anybody ever stolen the crown jewels

Q. Tell all.

A. All right. Actually, in a way, he did get away with it. He was charged with high treason, but kept his head.

Q. Begin at the beginning.

A. Thomas Blood was born in County Clare about 1618. He spent most of his early life in England and in 1648 he married a Miss Holcroft and soon afterwards returned to Ireland as an officer in Oliver Cromwell's army. He was possibly involved in spying for the king's side, though. More of that, later. He was granted land in lieu of payment for his service.

Q. That wouldn't have gone down too well on the Restoration

A. Good thinking. In 1660, Blood lost them all. Outraged, he conspired in 1663 to capture the Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, at Dublin Castle. Heavily disguised, he tried to force his way into the castle, but the plot was discovered and Blood fled. Accomplices, including his brother, were executed for high treason. A reward was offered for Colonel Blood.

Q. So he went into hiding

A. After a fashion. He took the name Thomas Allen and laid low in Kent for a while - but not before rescuing a friend, Captain Mason, from government men in York. Several soldiers were killed and the price on Blood's head went up to 500. Later, in a new attempt to exact revenge on the Duke of Ormond, he planned to kidnap him and hang him from the gallows at Tyburn. Ormond escaped, however, even though Blood fired a pistol at him.

Q. Where the spying bit come in

A. Blood may have been working for George Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham. Blood was certainly linked to rebel anti-government groups, but also had close government connections. It's likely that he was a double agent. His treatment after the crown jewels robbery, as we shall see, seems to be evidence for this.

Q. Talking of which ...

A. Ah yes, the jewels. In 1671 he disguised himself as a country parson and went to the Tower of London with 'his wife'. During the tower tour, she fainted and the keeper, Talbot Edwards, took them both to his rooms. They struck up a conversation and Blood found out that Edwards had an unmarried daughter, so he invented a rich nephew who would make a suitable husband for her. The union was agreed upon and, a few days later, on 9 May, the parson brought a party of 'friends' to visit the tower. But they were armed - and hit Edwards on the head with mallet.

Q. What happened then

A. Great drama, according to the contemporary Newgate Calendar which reported:

'[The gang] then instantly made flat the bows of the crown to make it more portable, seized the sceptre and dove, put them together into the wallet, and were preparing to make their escape when, unfortunately for them, the old man's son, who had not been at home for 10 years before, returned from sea at the very instant...'

Q. Phew, bad luck for Blood, then

A. Oh yes. '[They] hurried away with the crown and globe, but not having time to file the sceptre, they left it behind them. Old Edwards, who was not so much hurt as the villains had apprehended, by this time recovered his legs, and cried out murder ... but the alarm being given to the warder at the drawbridge, he put himself in a posture to stop their progress. Blood discharged a pistol at the warder, who, though unhurt, fell to the ground through fear ... [later] they were overtaken by one Captain Beckman, who had pursued them from Edwards's house. Blood immediately discharged a pistol at Beckman's head; but he stooping down at the instant, the shot missed him, and he seized Blood, who had the crown under his cloak.'

Q. And then

A. Blood was imprisoned in the tower. He refused to speak to anyone except the King.

Q. Some chance!

A. Au contraire. Charles II agreed to see him at Whitehall on 18 July.

Q. And got a right royal ticking-off

A. No. Blood's Irish estates were restored to him - and he was granted a pension of 500 a year.

Q. And lived peacefully every after

A. Blood died at his home in Bowling Alley, Westminster, on 24 August, 1680. He was buried in Tothill Fields, but the body was soon exhumed because the authorities feared he had faked his own death. He hadn't.

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By Steve Cunningham

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