- Arthur Thistlewood
Arthur Thistlewood (1774–
May 1 ,1820 ) was a British conspirator in theCato Street Conspiracy .Early life
He was born in
Tupholme the illegitimate son of a farmer and stockbreeder. He attended Horncastle Grammar School and was trained as a land surveyor. Unsatisfied with his job, he obtained a commission in the army at the age of 21. In January 1804 he married Jane Worsley but she died two years later giving birth to their first child. In 1808 he married Susan Wilkinson. He then quit his commission in the army and, with the help of his father, bought a farm. The farm was not a success and in 1811 he moved toLondon .Beginning of revolutionary involvement
Travel in
France and theUnited States of America exposed Thistlewood to revolutionary ideas. Shortly after his return toEngland , he joined the Society of Spencean Philanthropists inLondon . By 1816, Thistlewood had become a leader in the organisation, and was labelled a "dangerous character" by police.pa Fields
On
December 2 ,1816 , a mass meeting took place atSpa Fields . The Spenceans had planned to encourage rioting at this meeting and then seize control of the British government by taking theTower of London and theBank of England . Police learned of the plan and dispersed the meeting. Thistlewood and three other leaders were arrested and charged withhigh treason . WhenJames Watson was acquitted, the authorities released Thistlewood and the others as well.Lord Sidmouth
When police arrested Thistlewood after the Spa Fields meeting, he had already bought tickets to travel to the
United States . Thistlewood wrote to theHome Secretary Lord Sidmouth in 1817 to demand reimbursement. When Sidmouth failed to respond, Thistlewood challenged him to a duel and was imprisoned inHorsham Jail for 12 months.Cato Street Conspiracy
On
February 22 ,1820 , Thistlewood was one of a small group of Spenceans who decided, at the prompting of George Edwards, to assassinate several members of the British government at a dinner the next day. The group gathered in a loft in the Marylebone area of London, where police officers apprehended the conspirators. Edwards, a police spy, had fabricated the story of the dinner. Thistlewood was convicted of treason for his part in theCato Street Conspiracy , and hanged onMay 1 ,1820 .ources
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRthistlewood.htm]
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