1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: show that believes there's no time like the present to 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: learn about the past. I'm Gabe Lucier and today we're 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: talking about the time when an Irish gunman tried to 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: kill a British royal in eastern Australia, only to be 7 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: foiled by a pair of thick suspenders. The day was 8 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: March twelfth, eighteen sixty eight. Prince Alfred of Edinburgh survived 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: an attempt on his life during a visit to Sydney, Australia. 10 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: The would be assassin was one Henry James O'Farrell, a 11 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: native of Dublin, Ireland, who had moved to Australia with 12 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: his family in eighteen forty one when he was just 13 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: eight years old. The family prospered for a time, but 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: then oh Farrell's father passed away unexpectedly, leaving his young 15 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: children with nothing. Oh Farrell's brother Peter, did quite well 16 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: for himself, becoming one of the top solicitors in Melbourne. 17 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: Oh Farrell, on the other hand, barely scraped by as 18 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: a sheep farmer. He found better success as a grain merchant, 19 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: working in partnership with his cousin Joseph Kennedy, but in 20 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty four Kennedy died from symptoms related to alcohol withdrawal, 21 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: and the grain business floundered after his passing. To make 22 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: matters worse, Peter oh Ferrell was discredited in a libel 23 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,119 Speaker 1: suit that same year and fled from Melbourne in shame. 24 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: Shaken by these family misfortunes, o' farrell took to drinking 25 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: and quickly fell into debt. In January of eighteen sixty seven, 26 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: he suffered a serious mental breakdown, ranting about plots to 27 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: poison him and brandishing a pair of pistols in the street. 28 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: Was picked up by police and taken to a local asylum, 29 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: but was later released into the care of two of 30 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: his sisters. O farrell spent most of the year in 31 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: and out of various hotels and asylums, drinking heavily and 32 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: suffering epileptic fits in between. By September he had taken 33 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: up residence in the seaside suburb of Clontarf, just north 34 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: of Sydney. He paid his way with funds sent by 35 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: his sisters, but was sometimes kicked out of hotels anyway, 36 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: due to his increasingly strange behavior. Having perhaps never fully 37 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: recovered from his first mental break, o farrell was given 38 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: to angry outbursts. He also became visibly agitated whenever someone 39 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: mentioned the Irish nationalist group the Fenians. It's unclear when 40 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: exactly O'Farrell hatched his plan to assassinate the Duke of Edinburgh, 41 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: but settling in Clontarf certainly gave him the perfect opportunity. 42 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: The suburb's pleasure grounds were set to host a cherry 43 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: event for the benefit of the Sydney Sailors Home, and 44 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: the twenty three year old British Prince had agreed to 45 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 1: be the guest of honor. Alfred wasn't the most esteemed 46 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: member of the British Royal family. As the fourth child 47 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: and second eldest son of Queen Victoria, he was sometimes 48 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: mockingly referred to as the spare to the heir. Still, 49 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: his goodwill tour of the British colonies was closely followed 50 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: by the public, especially since his trip to Australia marked 51 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 1: the first time that a British Royal family member had 52 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: ever visited the continent. Clontarf buzzed with excitement ahead of 53 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: the prince's arrival, and at some point during the lead up, 54 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: Henry James O'Farrell decided to make an appearance himself. The 55 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: day before the event, O'Farrell went to nearby Waverley to 56 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: practice his pistol shooting. Then on the morning of March twelfth, 57 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty eight, he set out from the Clarendon Hotel. 58 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: On his way to the Sailor's Pick. He pushed his 59 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: way through the large crowd and found a good hiding 60 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: spot behind some trees. Then, when Prince Alfred went to 61 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: greet the band, O'Farrell emerged, drew his revolver and shot 62 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: the prince in the back. As he walked past, Alfred 63 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: reportedly cried out, good God, my back is broken, at 64 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: which point o farrell fired again, but missed. The second 65 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: bullet struck the foot of bystander George Thorns, and although 66 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: he fainted on the spot, he later made a full recovery. O' 67 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: farrell tried to escape amidst the confusion, but the crowd 68 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: was on him within moments. He was promptly beaten to 69 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: a pulp and was just about to be lynched before 70 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: the police managed to wrench him free and take him 71 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: into custody. At first, the gunman claimed that he shot 72 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: the Prince on the orders of the Melbourne Fenians, but 73 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: after the movement strongly denied those claims, O'Farrell admitted he 74 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: had acted alone a a bid for clemency. He explained 75 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,359 Speaker 1: his motive saying, quote, from continually thinking and talking of 76 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: the wrongs of Ireland, I became excited and filled with 77 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: enthusiasm for the subject, and it was then, under the 78 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: influence of those feelings that I attempted to perpetrate the 79 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: deed for which I am now justly called upon to suffer. 80 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: His trial began on March thirtieth and ended just two 81 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: days later with a guilty verdict and a death sentence. 82 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 1: Prince Alfred, who had survived the attack, tried to negotiate 83 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: for a more lenient sentence, arguing that O'Farrell's mental instability 84 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: was well known and that he shouldn't be held fully 85 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: responsible for his actions. That royal plea admirable, though it was, 86 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: ultimately went unanswered. Henry James O'Farrell was hanged on April 87 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: twenty first, at the age of thirty five. Although he 88 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: had acted as a lone wolf, O'Farrell's deed would have 89 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: lasting ready percussions on the Irish settlers in New South Wales. 90 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: There was already tension between the Irish Catholics and the 91 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: dominant British Protestants, and the assassination attempt only fanned the flames. 92 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: Even though no ties were ever proven between O'Farrell and 93 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: the Fenians, there was still an outpouring of religious prejudice 94 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 1: and racism towards Irish Catholics. Many public meetings were held 95 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: around the country to discuss the events, and within one 96 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: week of the shooting there were daily indignation meetings calling 97 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: for the passage of anti Irish legislation. The movement spurred 98 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: by O'Farrell's actions lasted for years and led many Australians 99 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: to question the loyalty of Irish Catholics, even though Parliament's 100 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 1: repeated attempts to uncover a deeper conspiracy came up empty handed. 101 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,119 Speaker 1: As for Prince Alfred, he had caught a lucky break 102 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: thanks to his leather suspenders or braces. The thick straps 103 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: had absorbed most of the bullets it's momentum, causing it 104 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: to glance off his ribs and leaving him with little 105 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: more than a flesh wound. Nonetheless, the Prince spent two 106 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: weeks at Sydney Hospital in the care of nurses trained 107 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: by Florence Nightingale, including the newly arrived Lady Superintendent Lucy Osburne. 108 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: The Prince was so grateful to the nurses and surgeons 109 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: who attended him that he later gave his name to 110 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: a new Sydney hospital founded in the aftermath of the shooting. Today, 111 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is the largest health center 112 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: in New South Wales and the most advanced teaching hospital 113 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: in all of Australia. So while it's not exactly a 114 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: happy ending, at least something good came from all of it. 115 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: I'm Gabeluesiery and hopefully you now know a little more 116 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you'd like 117 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: to keep up with the show, you can follow us 118 00:07:56,160 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at TDI HC Show, and 119 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to 120 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: send them my way by writing to this Day at 121 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks to kazb Bias for producing the show, 122 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening I'll see you back 123 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: here again tomorrow for another day in history class.