Cato Street Conspiracy

British history is full of murder plots, late-night scheming, and elaborate explosions (just look at Guy Fawkes!). One such plot, known as the Cato Street Conspiracy of 1820, in which the ‘Spencean Philanthropists’ attempted to murder all the British cabinet ministers and the PM, Lord Liverpool.

Due to the civil unrest at the time, it is unknown how wide-spread the conspiracy was, and if they managed to catch all the plotters. Of those caught, five were executed, five were transported to Australia, and two had charges dropped in exchange of testifying against their co-conspirators. During the arrest, however, a policeman was killed. This, most likely, had an impact on the final sentencing.

The group took their name from Thomas Spence, one of the leading revolutionaries of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, who was involved in stirring up civil unrest and propaganda against the government.