Ironically, if Bellingham could have got his nerve up a little earlier and killed Perceval even a week before he did, he might have prevented England and America going to war.
It may have seemed to anyone who wanted the Orders in Council done away with that removing Perceval was the only way to do it. Prime ministers could be in office for fifteen years or more and Perceval had such a grip on government, it may have seemed impossible that he would be ousted by normal means.
Mollie Gillen’s book The Assassination of the Prime Minister is not only the best book available on the facts of the case, Gillen also provides diary entries and newspaper clippings from the time so we get a view on what a wide range of people thought about Perceval and his murder. Gillen is careful to present the facts only, and not to speculate on whether Bellingham was a dupe or the ‘lone gunman’ he appeared to be.
The truth is, if Bellingham was someone’s dupe, he was perfect. He really was convinced he would get away with Perceval’s murder. He could have run from the scene, and no one would have stopped him, or likely caught him afterward, but he didn’t. He intended to take the blame, in the name of obtaining justice and compensation for the injustice done to him, and if someone wanted Perceval dead, and no one official looking in their direction to find a suspect, they couldn’t have invented a better candidate than Bellingham.
Bellingham’s trial was widely regarded at the time, and since, as a travesty. There were at least two sets of witnesses who raced down from Liverpool to attend the trial, against all odds and surely at huge expense, and yet it seems they were turned away by the court officials, presumably under the orders of Sir Vicary Gibbs, the Attorney-General. Gibbs did resign after the trial, citing other reasons, but it was suggested by contemporaries at the time that the lynch-mob mentality of his prosecution had ended his career.
Bellingham’s wife received a large sum of money from a collection of people who were thrilled her husband had shot the prime minister and who felt sorry for her for what both she and her husband had endured through their trials in Russia.
Knowing the extremely bad blood between the Prince Regent and Perceval, as well as stumbling upon mention of the odd behavior of Gascoyne, I couldn’t help but develop the conspiracy theory that I did, although as I mentioned earlier, there really was no shortage of suspects for me to choose from.
The facts of the matter will probably never come to light, but it was extremely interesting delving into this incident and this time in British history.
Michelle Diener
About the Author
Michelle Diener was born in London, grew up in South African and now lives in Australia with her family. She was bitten by the travel bug at a young age and has managed to feed her addiction with numerous trips to exciting places all over the world. She writes historical fiction and fantasy, and loves traveling to other times as well as places through the pages of a good book. You can contact Michelle through her website or sign up to receive notification when she has a new book out at www.michellediener.com.
Historical Fiction Titles by Michelle Diener
Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series:
In a Treacherous Court
Keeper of the King’s Secrets
In Defense of the Queen
Regency London series:
The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Banquet of Lies
A Dangerous Madness
Other historical novels:
Daughter of the Sky
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Fantasy Titles by Michelle Diener
Mistress of the Wind
The Golden Apple
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Author’s Note
About the Author
Also by Michelle Diener