Editing The Assassination of Queen Victoria

== The Previous Attempt: A Delusion of Young England ==
[[File:Queen Victoria in the Year of Her Assassination.jpg|alt=Queen Victoria in the Year of Her Assassination|thumb|406x406px|Queen Victoria at 22, in the Fifth and Final Year of her Reign (1842)]]
On the afternoon of 10<sup>th</sup> June 1840, as the phaeton carrying the Queen and [[Prince Regent Albert (1819-1861)|His Royal Highness Prince Albert]]<ref>Although he's usually associated with the title Prince Consort now, historically Albert wasn't given that title until 1857.</ref> approached Buckingham Palace on Constitution Hill, a little mean-faced man stepped out, struck a theatrical pose and shot a pistol at the monarch. Failing in his target, he drew and discharged a second, but missed once more. Unconcerned by what he had done, he cried out loudly "I am the man who fired! It was me!" Only swift action by Peelers delivered him from the crowd who furiously disarmed him, and in short order he found himself in Newgate Prison charged with ''high treason'', for which he might expect to be hanged, drawn and quartered.

One day short of a month later, 18-year-old Edward Oxford - recently resigned as a pot-boy at the Hog-in-the-Pound in Oxford Street - was brought to the Old Bailey. A thorough investigation engendered the delay. His lodgings when searched gave forth not only a sword and the paraphernalia of his pistolry; but the regulations and correspondence of an organised militia by the name of "Young England".

Prosecution sought to capitalise on sensational eye-witness accounts and to show that Oxford had intended harm to the Queen by firing his pistols at her. However, the Defence were more than equal to these arguments. On the crucial matter of intent, despite careful and repeated searching, no evidence could be found to show that the pistols had been charged with anything but powder. Furthermore, a picture of poor deluded youth emerged from the Defence case.

Edward Oxford was the grandson of a slave; both father and grandfather were unstable drunkards, and the father naught less than a brute. With such a heritage, small wonder that young Oxford was given to uncontrollable hysterical laughter, emitting strange noises, and an unnatural fascination with firearms. The noted physician and proponent of non-restraint for the insane, Professor John Conolly, declared that no-one with Oxford's skull could possibly be sane, while another expert was able to diagnose him simply by his walk. The membership of "Young England", its officers, rules, proceedings, and letters all sprang from the imagination of Edward Oxford. A notoriety mania was suspected.

The next day, Oxford was found by the jury to be not guilty by reason of insanity, and was transferred to Bethlem Royal Hospital to be held there until Her Majesty's pleasure be known. It was clear that Her Majesty was ''not'' pleased, being furious at the decision of the "very stupid" jury.

== A House Built on Sand ==
[[File:John Francis.jpg|alt=John Francis|thumb|John Francis]]
Within two years. on 30th May 1842, history was to repeat itself.

Early in the year, a 19-year-old apprentice set-builder and operator of special effects at Covent Garden Theatre left the employ of his father to set up as a carpenter in his own right. As many had found before him, John Francis's new business was straitened by a lack of orders, and so he sought another route to quick profit.

Claiming that finance would shortly be forthcoming as an inheritance from his grandmother, he convinced a tobacco merchant to supply him with stock for the venture of ''Francis Tobacconist'', a shop to be opened on Mortimer Street, where Francis himself frequented the coffee shops. The tobacco docks were nearby, the locality was frequented by many who might be in search of a smoke, and as a taxed good it would be easy to charge a high margin and blame the revenue.

The shop opened on Wednesday 25th May, but by Friday the young businessman's patron sought payment for the stock provided. In some desperation, not being possessed of the supposed inheritance, John Francis sought to put things right by stealing money from a roommate in his boarding house. Being as inexperienced and hapless a thief as a tobacconer, he was caught in the act by the landlord. In swift succession, the landlord took his home and belongings, the tobacco merchant took his business, and before day's end he was bankrupt and visiting a pawnbroker.

There he bought a pistol for 3/-, which appears to be almost all he had in the world, for he paid with 3 fourpennies, a sixpence, and 18 pence in coppers. He is also known to have bought a flint and gunpowder, spent the night in a coffeehouse, and then seems to have waited for the Sabbath.

On Sunday 29th May, John Francis walked to join the crowd outside Buckingham Palace, waiting for the Queen and [[Prince Regent Albert (1819-1861)|Prince Albert]] to return from worship at the Chapel Royal in St. James Palace.

== Regicide ==
[[File:John Francis Shooting at the Queen.jpg|alt=John Francis Shooting at the Queen|thumb|534x534px|John Francis Shooting at the Queen]]
As the carriage turned right into the Mall, [[Prince Regent Albert (1819-1861)|Prince Albert]] remarked on the civility of the crowd, but shortly afterward saw a man step out and raise a pistol - which, before any action could be taken, hung fire.

Critical seconds past, the would-be assassin withdrew, leaving Albert almost doubting what he had seen; but others had observed the incident, and word quickly reached [[Robert Peel]]. Naturally the Prime Minister's greatest concern was for the person of the Queen, but Victoria was adamant - she would ride out in the carriage next day as normal, and no other could be substituted as bait. "I would much rather run the immediate risk at any time, than have the presentiment of danger constantly hovering over me", she declared.

Persuasion being incapable of dissuading her from this course, additional precautions were taken. Policemen in plain clothes were stationed at strategic points, and equerries assigned to ride as guards alongside the carriage for additional security. On Monday 30th May, the carriage drove out safely, with Albert seeking out the face of the ruffian behind every tree, while Victoria opined that the feeling of looking out for such a man was "not very agreeable".

It was upon the return that John Francis struck once more. At the same place as the day before, and the same spot on Constitution Hill where Edward Oxford had made his attempt two years previous, he drew his pistol, presented it at the Queen, and discharged it.

The precautions of extra men availed nothing against the flight of a pistol ball, and the Queen was instantly struck down<ref>It's here that Steam Elephants' history diverges from reality, as in fact John Francis' shot missed, and as with Edward Oxford's attempt, it's not known whether the shot contained a pistol ball at all. Victoria later survived another five attempts on her life. Up to this point, it's a reasonably accurate account of the first two assassination attempts on Queen Victoria. ([https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0dtcddd Killing Victoria], BBC Sounds)</ref> and her reign, three weeks short of five years, came to an end.

== Aftermath ==
{{Whatlinkshere}}Too late for calamity, police officers took up John Francis with the smoking pistol in his hand and carried him off to a lodge of the Palace, before transferring him to a more official place of custody. In doing so, they rescued him before the mob could enact their vengeance upon him.

On the fifth anniversary of the late Queen's accession, Monday 20th June<ref>John Francis' trial actually took place on 17th June. In Steam Elephants I've moved it from Friday 17th to the following Monday that would have marked five years of Victoria on the throne, as I think the symbolism would have been important.</ref>, the regicide faced trial as Edward Oxford had before him, for high treason. With no doubt as to his guilt, matters were swiftly concluded. The judge donned the black cap, and sentenced John Francis to be hanged, drawn and quartered.

John's family were distraught. His mother's life was reported to be despaired of due to the anguish she felt, both physical and mental, and John Francis Sr. employed a lawyer to plead Albert - now [[Prince Regent Albert (1819-1861)|Regent]] to the [[Edward I (and VII) (1841 - )|infant King]] - for clemency, not so much for the sake of the assassin but for his mother.

Showing the great humanity for which he was to become renowned, the grieving widower did indeed petition on behalf of the wretched criminal. Shortly before the sentence was due to be carried out, the sentence was commuted to merely hanging and, on July 4th, carried out<ref>In reality, having learned from the case of Edward Oxford, the prosecution argued more effectively against John Francis for his attempt and he was indeed sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. John Francis Sr.'s lawyer made a plea for clemency to the Queen herself. On July 4th, the day planned for his execution, John Francis boarded a train for Gosport, his sentence commuted to transportation for life to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). The night before he sailed John is said to have suddenly burst into tears and cried "I never meant to hurt the Queen".</ref>. At the prompting of the [[Prince Regent Albert (1819-1861)|Prince Regent]], [[Robert Peel]]'s Government subsequently introduced a bill abolishing the punishment of hanging, drawing and quartering<ref>This punishment actually remained in place until it was abolished nearly thirty years later in 1870, but it was unused.</ref>.

== Footnotes ==
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[[Category:History]]