1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of I Heart Radio 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: and Grim and Mild from Aaron Mankey listener discretion advised, Hey, 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 1: this is Danishwartz, the host of Noble Blood. I have 4 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: just a few quick bits of housekeeping. So if you 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: want to support the show, we have episode scripts and 6 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: monthly bonus episodes up on our Patreon, which is linked 7 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: in the bio. You also get exclusive stickers and cool merch. 8 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: It's great. Join the Noble family. It's great. I'm there, 9 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: talk to me, we can hang out. We also have 10 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: amazing merch. I've seen fake merch around the internet, but 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: the only actual merch that is like real for the 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: show is on a website called d f t b 13 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: a dot com and it's linked in the episode description. 14 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: And the third piece of housekeeping is so I wrote 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: a book called Anatomy a Love Story, which is about 16 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: a surgeon in nineteen century Scotland, and its sequel, Immortality 17 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: a Love Story, is coming out this February. Arry and 18 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: pre orders are the most important thing that is in 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: the book world right now, Like truly, I cannot express 20 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: how every single book person in my life is like, 21 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: please Dana, get pre orders and I'm like, I will try. 22 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: I promise. So if you enjoy the storytelling on the show, 23 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: or you think you would enjoy a sort of macabre 24 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: story of you know, mayhem and surgery in nineteenth century 25 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 1: Edinburgh and London in the sequel, check it out and 26 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 1: maybe preorder that is also linked in the bio. As always, 27 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: just thank you so much for listening. At two pm 28 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: on July six seven, one of the porters in Dublin Castle, 29 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: a man named William Stivey, was simply trying to do 30 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: his job. On a typical day, his job meant catering 31 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: to the requests of various of officials whose offices were 32 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: scattered throughout castle grounds. But on this day, William Stevey 33 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,519 Speaker 1: had been given a task well outside his usual duties 34 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: with a surprising lack of fanfare. Stevey had been handed 35 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: a priceless royal artifact, a golden collar belonging to a 36 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: former Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, 37 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: and he was given in order to return it to 38 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: its safe in the Bedford Tower Library. It was a 39 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: task that typically would have been reserved solely for the 40 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: very man who had given the porter of the task 41 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: Ireland's Ulster King of Arms, Sir Arthur Vickers. But on 42 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: this particular afternoon Vickers had been buried up to his 43 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: neck in paperwork, desperately trying to sort out the final 44 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: details regarding the British King and Queen's visit to Dublin 45 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: Castle later that week. He was the Ulster King of Arms, 46 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: of position men to be the leading voice of all 47 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: things heraldry and genealogy in Ireland, even if his job 48 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: title technically required him to be the sole keeper of 49 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 1: the Order's priceless collection of jewels. He didn't have time 50 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: to go walk halfway across the castle just to put 51 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: a necklace back in its box, Which was how the 52 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: humble Dublin Castle porter William Stivy found himself completely out 53 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,119 Speaker 1: of his depth, holding a priceless golden collar in one 54 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: hand and the key to the safe holding the Irish 55 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: Crown jewels in the other. You know, just a normal 56 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: day at the office. Only when Stivey managed to make 57 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: it to the safe in question, he suddenly faced a 58 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: much larger problem. He couldn't get it open. He was 59 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: able to somehow fit the key into the safe intimidating 60 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: metal hull but no matter what he did, the lock 61 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: refused to turn it. Maybe the vault could sense Stivy's 62 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: impostor syndrome from the way his clammy palms slipped against 63 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: its surface with wasted effort, or maybe he had simply 64 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: been given the wrong key, But regardless, his efforts remained 65 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: in vain. But just as he was about to slink 66 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,799 Speaker 1: back to Vicker's office in defeat, Styvey heard someone else 67 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: approaching the library. The porter didn't know it at the time, 68 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: but he would be asked to recount the following moments 69 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: in Dublin Castle's Bedford Tower Library over and over for 70 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: years to come by police, press and conspiracy theorists alike. 71 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: For the footsteps that had sounded behind him belonged to 72 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: none other than the Ulster King of Arms himself, Sir 73 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: Arthur Vickers, And to Styvey's complete and total shock, he 74 00:04:55,920 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: watched as Vickers approached the safe. Vicker didn't try to 75 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: turn the stuck key. Instead, he simply pulled the door open. 76 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: For it turns out the lack had somehow been turned 77 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: well before Stivey ever walked into the library that day. 78 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: But what Stivy would be asked to remember most in 79 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: the coming years of interrogators and inquiries was the look 80 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 1: on Sir Arthur Vicker's face when he finally mustered up 81 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: the strength to look inside the vault, only to discover 82 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: that the Irish Crown jewels were gone. I'm Dani Schwartz, 83 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: and this is noble blood. Now, before we go any 84 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,239 Speaker 1: further into the story, I think it's important to address 85 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: the confusion related to the term Irish crown jewels, for 86 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: when there is no literal Irish crown, which begs the 87 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: question how could there be any jewels for a crown 88 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: that doesn't exist? Well, in order to answer this fully, 89 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: I think it's worth going a little further back to 90 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: briefly summarize Ireland's relationship with the United Kingdom, at least 91 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: as it stood in nineteen o seven. For the sake 92 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: of this story, I am not going to delve too 93 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: deeply into the incredibly tumultuous, nearly thousand year history between 94 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: the two countries, but to give you a foothold in 95 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: which to place yourself within this story, you should know 96 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: in eighteen o one, the Kingdom of Great Britain and 97 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: the Kingdom of Ireland merged to create the United Kingdom 98 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: of Great Britain and Ireland, a union that was still 99 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: holding strong in nineteen o seven when this story takes place. 100 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: Of course, quote holding strong is a relative term, especially 101 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 1: considering Irish nationalists would be attempting to pass legislation advocating 102 00:06:56,080 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: for home rule as early as nineteen twelve. Safe to say, 103 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: as Ireland would officially become an independent country by nineteen 104 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: twenty two, loyalties to the British crown in nineteen o 105 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: seven we're growing shakier by the day in an increasingly 106 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: independent Irish state, which leads us back to our initial question. 107 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: If Ireland's metaphorical crown was really just an extension of 108 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: the British monarchy, how were their jewels for a crown 109 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: that didn't exist in the first place. The simple answer 110 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: is there weren't, at least not in terms of how 111 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: we traditionally think of crown jewels in actuality. What we 112 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: have come to refer to colloquially as the Irish crown 113 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: jewels was really a star and badge created for the 114 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: sole purpose of representing the most illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, 115 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: which was the English monarchy. Made Irish equivalent to England's 116 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: Order of the Garter or Scotland's Order of the Thistle 117 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: esta published in seventy three by King George the Third. 118 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: The Order of Saint Patrick was created to honor those 119 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: irishmen who exhibited extraordinary loyalty to the Crown. It was 120 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: an honor that had the added benefit of quelling rises 121 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: in Irish patriotism. Lord Charlemont, one of the founding knights 122 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: of the Order, is quoted as saying, quote, it is 123 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: a fact often experienced that the offer of a glittering 124 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: bauble has a greater influence in subduing patriotic integrity end quote. 125 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: The stones on the glittering baubles in question came from 126 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: the English Crown Jewels of Queen Charlotte as well as 127 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: King George the Third star from the Order of Bath, 128 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: but they were refitted to better embody the Order of 129 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 1: Saint Patrick. The star and badge had a cumulative three 130 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: hundred and ninety four stones spread between them. At the 131 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: center of each lied a three four whale, which was 132 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: a shape closer to that of a clover than the 133 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: girl scout cookie, and that was composed entirely of emeralds 134 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: sitting inside of a ruby cross set above a light 135 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: blue enamel background. The star had eight points stoned almost 136 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 1: entirely with Brazilian diamonds, said to be of the purest water. 137 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: But similar to the badge, in an arc around the 138 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 1: emerald treefoil in rose colored diamonds was written the motto 139 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:36,959 Speaker 1: of the order qui separabi or who can separate us, 140 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: a quote which could have been tempting fate considering exactly 141 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: what happened next. Now, when you think of someone plotting 142 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: to steal something as valuable as the Irish Crown jewels, 143 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: there's an expectation that some level of competency or maybe 144 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: even genius would be necessary to carry out such a feat. 145 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 1: Immediately my mind goes to some turn of the twenty 146 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 1: century version of Oceans eleven, with George Clooney and Brad 147 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: Pitt in bowler hats and time pieces attached to their waistcoats, 148 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: sitting around a candle lit table covered in intricate blueprints 149 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: of Bedford Tower. But in the case of the Irish 150 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: Crown Jewels, the success of the theft most likely wasn't 151 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: due to an abundance of schematics or hours of meticulous planning, 152 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: but rather a series of increasing lapses and security that 153 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: led to someone finding just the right moment in which 154 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: to pluck the jewels out from under everyone's noses. Per 155 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: the statutes of the Order, custody of the insignia was 156 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: left to be cared for by whoever was the reigning 157 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: Ulster King of Arms, who in seven happened to be 158 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: the same man who was too busy to walk a 159 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: golden collar back to its safe, Sir Arthur Vickers. Vickers 160 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: had been given the title back in eighteen ninety three 161 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: and had overseen the care of the jewels in Dublin 162 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: Castle's Birmingham Tower until nineteen o three, when it was 163 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: decided Vickers and the jewels would be relocated to a 164 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 1: new office across castle grounds in Bedford Tower. In preparation 165 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: for the move, Dublin Castle officials were tasked with building 166 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: a new strong room within Bedford Tower that would be 167 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: able to house the safe containing the jewels, which would 168 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: have been great if they had stopped to measure the 169 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: size of the safe before constructing the only door to 170 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 1: the room. Unfortunately, they had apparently never heard the high 171 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: school shop class adage measure twice cut once, and they 172 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: had instead built a strong room with a door too 173 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: small to fit the safe meant to go inside of it. 174 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: This meant Vickers was forced to decide to either knock 175 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: the wall down to his freshly constructed wrong room, put 176 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 1: the safe inside, then subsequently rebuild the wall, or simply 177 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 1: find somewhere else to store the safe, and, in a 178 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: move that should surprise absolutely no one at this point 179 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: in the story, Vicars chose the ladder, deciding to house 180 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 1: the safe in the Bedford Tower library instead until another 181 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: suitable location could be decided. It should also surprise no 182 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: one that no such location was ever decided, meaning the 183 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: safe holding the Irish Crown Jewels was essentially out in 184 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: the open for anyone with access to Dublin Castle to 185 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: stumble upon. But even with the vault relatively open location, 186 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 1: it was still acting as another barrier that should have 187 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: served as adequate protection for the jewels. The only two 188 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: keys to the safe were in Vicar's possession, one which 189 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: he kept in a desk in his home and the 190 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: other which he kept on his person at all times. 191 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 1: Well apart from the one instance in May of seven 192 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,679 Speaker 1: when a housekeeper found one of his keys and had 193 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: to mail it back to his office, or, of course, 194 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: that fateful day just two months later, when he gave 195 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: his personal copy to the porter, William st Ivey, to 196 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:18,559 Speaker 1: save himself a trip across the castle grounds. Surely those 197 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: were the only two exceptions to the impenetrable security in 198 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: Bedford Tower. Ultimately, the litany of security breaches in Dublin 199 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: Castle were so extreme it was weeks after the last 200 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 1: confirmed sighting of the Irish Crown Jewels on June eleven 201 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: before Vickers would finally open the safe in Bedford Tower 202 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:45,839 Speaker 1: Library and realize just how much trouble he was in now. 203 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: Earlier in the story, I mentioned the Dublin Castle porter 204 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: who had the misfortune of happening upon one of the 205 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:57,359 Speaker 1: most infamous thefts in all of Ireland's history. But in reality, 206 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: Stivey's inability to open the Irish Crown Jewels safe was 207 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: not the first red flag to appear in Bedford Tower 208 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: that day. No, the first red flag was spotted three 209 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: days earlier by one of the castle's cleaners, a woman 210 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: named Mrs Farrell, who found the entrance to the strong 211 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: room left completely unlocked. Unlike the safe, the strong room 212 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: had seven keys spread amongst various officials in Dublin Castle, 213 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: but under no circumstance should it ever have been left 214 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: unlocked and unattended. Naturally, Mrs Farrell reported the unlocked door 215 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: to Vickers, but her concerns were promptly dismissed. Official reports 216 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: have Vickars being quoted as saying, quote, is that so 217 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: when told about the strong room on the third of July. 218 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: Not exactly the reaction of shock and horror you'd expect 219 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: from ireland Ulster King of Arms. But he was in 220 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: the midst of preparing for the King and Queen's arrival 221 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: in Dublin just over a week later, so maybe he 222 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: was just busy. But when on the morning of July six, 223 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: Mrs Farrell came back to Vicker's office to report that 224 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: the strong room door had yet again been left unlocked, 225 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: there was next to no rational explanation as to why 226 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: Vickers would dismiss her again. Another breach insecurity in less 227 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: than a week, let alone the same week the King 228 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: and Queen were set to arrive, should have set off 229 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: alarm bells throughout the castle, and yet Vickars once again 230 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: ignored the report, deciding instead to go about his day 231 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: until at to PM when he sent the porter William's 232 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: Divy to return the golden collar to the safe. Vickers 233 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: would follow him shortly after and find the safes contents vanished, 234 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: save for the light blue ribbon which had once been 235 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: attached to the insignia, everything else missing. When the authorities 236 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: were finally called and the Irish Crown Jewels were officially 237 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: reported missing, it didn't take long to parse out that 238 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: the theft had been an inside job. There was no 239 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: evidence of fourth century into Dublin Castle, and the safe 240 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: had no visible marks that indicated it had been tampered 241 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: with or altered in any way, meaning that only one 242 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: of the two existing keys, or perhaps an exact copy 243 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: made by someone with access to them, was used in 244 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: order to access the jewels. The theft itself had happened 245 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: so quietly it had taken authorities maybe even weeks, to 246 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: notice they were missing in the first place. The security 247 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: in Bedford Tower may have been lacking, but the lack 248 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: of physical evidence left behind suggested to authorities that the 249 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: criminal knew exactly what they were doing, and suddenly the 250 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: pool of suspects narrowed down from all the theoretical Brad 251 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: Pitts and bowler hats across Dublin to three main suspects, 252 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: each of them having, through one way or another, some 253 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: connection to the goings on inside Dublin Castle. The first 254 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: suspect is probably one you have most likely put together 255 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: for yourself, Ireland Ulster, King of Arms himself, Sir Arthur Vickers. 256 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: Given the initial evidence provided, Vickers no doubt, seems like 257 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: the obvious choice. He had the easiest access to the 258 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: jewels and apparently cavalier relationship with the keys, and an 259 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: inherent lack of urgency when provided with information concerning breaches 260 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: and security. But even in the face of all the 261 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: evidence mounted against him, Vickers was unwavering in his declaration 262 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: of innocence. He was negligent, maybe, but not guilty. In 263 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: addition to the missing star and badge, a box containing 264 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: personal jewels from Vicker's mother had also been taken from 265 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: this safe. This of course invites further questions as to 266 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: why Vickers felt it was at all appropriate to keep 267 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: his personal jewels in a vault containing that of official 268 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: royal artifacts. But regardless of vickers own collection, being kept 269 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: inside the safe does begin to poke holes in argument 270 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: advocating his guilt as far as motives go, Vickars may 271 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: have had ease of access, but he had no known debts, 272 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: no reason he would need the jewels in that specific moment, 273 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: and considering he had held his position as Ulster King 274 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: of Arms for over a decade at this point, why 275 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: would he steal the jewels now? Which leads us to 276 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: our second suspect, an associate of Vickars named Francis Bennett Goldney. 277 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: Goldney was the Mayor of Canterbury as well as Vickers 278 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 1: appointed Athlone Pursuant, which is a title basically equating him 279 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: to a junior Officer of Arms for the Order of St. Patrick. However, 280 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: what is particularly interesting about Goldney as a suspect isn't 281 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: his ties to the Order itself, but his specific interest 282 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: in antiquities. In addition to his duties as Mayor, Goldney 283 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: had acted as honorary curator for the Royal Museum and 284 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: Art Gallery in Canterbury, his love of historical artifacts most 285 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 1: likely carrying over into his interest in the Order of St. Patrick. 286 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: In fact, Goldney had all but begged Vicars for the 287 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: position as outlan persuing finally being given the job in 288 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 1: February nine seven not even six months before the theft 289 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: would eventually occur. Now, if Goldeney's a new position under 290 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: Vickers and an accompanying love for antiquities was the sole 291 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,199 Speaker 1: evidence against him, I would be inclined to move on 292 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 1: to the next suspect. However, the true nature of Goldney's 293 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: suspicion really only came to light after his death, for 294 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 1: it was only after his untimely passing from a car 295 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 1: accident in nineteen eighteen that authorities would find Goldney's love 296 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: of antiquity had at some point crossed the line from 297 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: history enthusiast to pack rat, as they discovered a collection 298 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: of stolen artifacts littered around his home. The Irish Crown 299 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: jewels were not found in his possession, but that isn't 300 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: to say he may not have pawned them off or 301 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: sold off the stones individually. At the time, Goldney was 302 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,880 Speaker 1: brought in for questioning, but he was recorded as not 303 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: being in Dublin in the month window from when the 304 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: jewels had last been seen to when they had been 305 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 1: discovered missing in July seven, and therefore he was let go. 306 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: So that brings us to our third and possibly most 307 00:20:54,800 --> 00:21:01,199 Speaker 1: controversial suspect. The Dublin Herald Francis Shackleton in While the 308 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 1: other suspects no doubt had close proximity with the jewels, 309 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: Shackleton had one thing that both the other suspects lacked, 310 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: a clear motive. In nineteen o seven, Shackleton was known 311 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: to have been in dire financial straits. He had borrowed 312 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: money from both Vicars and Goldney, as well as additional 313 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: money lenders throughout the United Kingdom, and he had yet 314 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: to make good on any of his dealings. Additionally, Shackleton 315 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 1: was reportedly living with Vickers as his roommate, suddenly giving 316 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: the incident in May nineteen o seven, when Vickers had 317 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: to have his key returned to him by mail by 318 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: his housekeeper a new sense of foreboding. However, despite the 319 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: fact that both Goldney and Vicars heavily implied Shackleton's possible 320 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: involvement in the theft their statements to the authorities, he 321 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: was never formally considered as a suspect. This was due 322 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: to a few reasons, the first being similar to Goldney, 323 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 1: that he was also not in Dublin in the month 324 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: span in which the jewels could have been taken. The 325 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: second had less to do with his alibi and more 326 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: to do with his name, or rather his brothers. As 327 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 1: it happened, Francis Shackleton was the brother of none other 328 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: than the famous Irish Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. It's likely 329 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: that Ernest's ties to King Edward the seventh, as well 330 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: as his notoriety in general, made authorities less likely to 331 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: pursue Francis as a serious lead. It's at this point 332 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: in the story that I'd like to take a brief 333 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: break from analyzing the potential suspects and returned for a 334 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: moment to the rumored night time activities that were happening 335 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: in Dublin Castle. By day, the castle was home to 336 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 1: the office of the All Star King of Arms, the 337 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: Dublin Metropolitan Police, as well as a catalog of other 338 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: municipal offices. But by night, Dublin Castle was rumored to 339 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: have been the backdrop for some of the most scandalous 340 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: parties in the United Kingdom. In nineteen o eight, a 341 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: newspaper called The Gaelic American published an article titled Abominations 342 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: of Dublin Castle Exposed, which would accuse several prominent government 343 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:34,160 Speaker 1: officials of participating in quote nightly orgies at the castle. 344 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: It should be noted that the nightly orgies in question 345 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: likely weren't as hyper sexualized as the language suggests, but 346 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: rather meant to be indicative of the nature of the 347 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: relationships between the parties involved. At this point, homosexuality was 348 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: still illegal in the United Kingdom, which meant that this 349 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: article fanned the flames of the scandal already brewing around 350 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: the events leading up to the theft of the Irish 351 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: Crown jewels. The article is full of period typical homophobia, 352 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: citing Dublin Castle as quote a nest of unnatural vice, 353 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,880 Speaker 1: but the undercurrent of the accusations remain as clear as day. 354 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: This is how those who work for the Crown are 355 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 1: spending their time and resources. And while it may have 356 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: once been easy to dismiss the article as petty gossip, 357 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:31,439 Speaker 1: especially since it was published anonymously, with the author stating 358 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: their refusal to release the names of their sources for 359 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: quote obvious reasons, in the years since, it has been 360 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: impossible to ignore the kernel of truth that lay at 361 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: the center of the piece. It was an open secret 362 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: in Dublin society that Francis Shackleton was gay, but the 363 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: Crown was more than determined not to implicate other important 364 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:58,360 Speaker 1: figures who may have run in his same circles. When 365 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: Shackleton was eventually brought in for questioning, right off the bat, 366 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: he made sure to let his interrogators know exactly how 367 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: much trouble he had gone to in order to be there, 368 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,520 Speaker 1: having returned from San Remo to cooperate with their investigation, 369 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: in other words, re establishing his alibi. He would then 370 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 1: go on to name drop as many of his political 371 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: counterparts as he could, mentioning a ridiculous rumor he had 372 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: heard of him and Lord Haydo, the son of Lord Aberdeen, 373 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,159 Speaker 1: working together to steal the jewels, at which point the 374 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,679 Speaker 1: Solicitor General doing the investigation all but strapped duct tape 375 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: over his mouth, telling Shackleton he quote need not mention 376 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:45,920 Speaker 1: that in the end, the who was not the target 377 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: of the Crown Jewels Commission's investigation, the how was a 378 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: clear enough target for them to pin the blame. In January, 379 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: the Commission found quote Sir Arthur Vickers did not act 380 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: sercized due vigilant or proper care as the custodian of 381 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: the regalia. Not long after that Vickers was forced to 382 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: leave his post as the Ulster King of Arms, a 383 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: punishment that would haunt him for the rest of his life. 384 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: In the years that followed, speculation as to the whereabouts 385 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: of the Irish Crown jewels, as well as the thief 386 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: behind the heist, only became more sensationalized as news of 387 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: the suspects seemed to bring up more scandal by the day. 388 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: As I mentioned earlier, Goldney's true nature as a suspect 389 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: in the case only really came about after his death 390 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighteen, when he was discovered to have multiple 391 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: stolen antiquities in his possession. Shackleton, despite his previous luck 392 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: of aiding criminal charges, was eventually arrested for fraud in 393 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: nineteen thirteen. He would serve fifteen months in prison, then 394 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: upon release, take up a new name and live out 395 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 1: the rest of his life in relative of security. Following 396 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 1: his forced resignation as the Ulster King of Arms, Vickers 397 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: moved from Dublin to kill Morna in County Kerry. He 398 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: spent the rest of his life disputing claims of his guilt, 399 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: even winning a libel case in nineteen thirteen against The 400 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: Daily Mail. After they claimed he had given his supposed 401 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 1: mistress a copy of the key to the safe and 402 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:26,919 Speaker 1: subsequently sent her and the jewels across the English Channel 403 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,439 Speaker 1: to lay low in Paris until he could come and 404 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,920 Speaker 1: retrieve them. Vickers was rewarded five thousand pounds in damage 405 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: after it became clear that the mistress in question did 406 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: not in fact exist. Unfortunately, in ninety one, vickers home 407 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: in Kilmourna was raided by a local ira A militia 408 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: who shot and killed him, most likely for his ties 409 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: to the Crown. To this day, the Irish Crown jewels 410 00:27:56,760 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: have never been found, nor has the culprit ever been identified. However, 411 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: in light of the evidence that has come forward in 412 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: the century since the theft, most historians and true crime 413 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:14,679 Speaker 1: enthusiasts agree Shackleton was likely the mastermind behind the unsolved heyst. 414 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: While he did have an alibi for the month period 415 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: in which the jewels could have been taken, a known 416 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 1: associate of Shackleton's, a man named Captain Richard H. Gorgeous, 417 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: all but confessed to the crime. After being sentenced to 418 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: time in prison following a completely unrelated manslaughter charge in 419 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 1: nineteen fifteen. He confirmed that he and Shackleton had conspired 420 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:44,719 Speaker 1: to steal the jewels, though interestingly, he said the idea 421 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: for the heist was inspired by a practical joke set 422 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: by one of the important political figures rumored to have 423 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: frequented the Dublin Castle Orgies, Lord Haydo. Apparently, Lord Haydo 424 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: had taken the jewels during a night of drunken revelry 425 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: when Vickers was exceptionally intoxicated, and he subsequently sent them 426 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: back in the mail the next day. Normally this type 427 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: of story the sounds like hollow bragging after a night 428 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: of drinking, a funny prank that someone probably didn't actually do. 429 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 1: But in Vicker's statements to the authorities after the initial theft, 430 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 1: he had made a peculiar statement. Vickers told Detective cur quote, 431 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 1: I would not be a bit surprised if the jewels 432 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: would be returned to my house by parcel post tomorrow morning, 433 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: almost as if that thing had happened before. Of course, 434 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:46,080 Speaker 1: there are a fair amount of conspiracy theories as to 435 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: exactly what happened to the Irish Crown jewels. In an 436 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: article came out in a publication called The Carryman, claiming 437 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: that a descendant of one of Vicker's valets had discovered 438 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: exact only where the jewels were hidden near his former 439 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: home in Kilmurna, but upon searching the location determined the 440 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: jewels had been taken by another party convenience. Others theorized that, 441 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: in the growing political unrest in Ireland at the time, 442 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: the jewels were taken by the Irish Republican Brotherhood as 443 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: a political act against the Crown. However, there's little corroborated 444 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: evidence to actually support that claim. In my opinion, the 445 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: most interesting theory has to do with the nature of 446 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: the relationship between Vickers and Shackleton. Francis Shackleton's homosexuality was, 447 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: as I said, in open secret, but many speculate that, 448 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:48,719 Speaker 1: in addition to living together as roommates, he and Vickars 449 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: were in a romantic relationship of their own. Had they 450 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: been that close, it would make sense that Shackleton would 451 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: be able to make a copy of one of vickers 452 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: keys without a rousing too much suspicion. Ultimately, there is 453 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: no doubt that negligence Vicars exhibited in his care for 454 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: the jewels contributed to their disappearance, but at the end 455 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: we will most likely never know who was actually responsible 456 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:20,719 Speaker 1: for the disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels. In terms 457 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: of where the jewels maybe today. As undoubtedly cool as 458 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: it would be for the pristine star and badge to 459 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: just exist in an old jewelry box somewhere in a 460 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: forgotten attic in Ireland, the likelihood that the gems are 461 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: still attached to their original pieces are slim to none gorgeous. 462 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: The man who claimed to have completed the heist with 463 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: Shackleton told reporters that Shackleton had ordered him to flee 464 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: with the jewels to Amsterdam and wait three months before 465 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: breaking them up to sell in parts. Most likely those 466 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,680 Speaker 1: three months were in case there was going to be 467 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: a ransom offered in exchange for the return of the jewels. 468 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: Whoever to take the Crown Jewels would have likely followed 469 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 1: a similar line of thinking, choosing to separate the gems 470 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 1: and sell them to be reset into smaller pieces so 471 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: as to remain less conspicuous. So while it's almost impossible 472 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: that the Irish Crown Jewels remain intact somewhere waiting to 473 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: be found, I like to think the gems have most 474 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 1: likely found their way into new pieces of jewelry, and 475 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: that maybe every once in a while those rose colored 476 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: diamonds find themselves joined together by the handshakes or embraces 477 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: of their wearers, so that the motto of the Order 478 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: of St. Patrick, who can separate us can once again 479 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: ring true. That was the unsolved mystery of the Irish 480 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 1: Crown Jewels, But stick around after a brief sponsor break 481 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 1: to hear specifically how Sir Arthur Vickers defended his innocence 482 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: in his later years. In the years after his forced resignation, 483 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 1: Vickers never gave up his quest to prove his innocence 484 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: about his role in the theft of the Irish Crown Jewels. Eventually, 485 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: the truth came out that it was actually his half 486 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: brother who had leaked the information to the Gaelic American 487 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 1: for their infamous article regarding Francis Shackleton and the several 488 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: prominent government officials who participated in the raucous orgies in 489 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: Dublin Castle. Vickers would hold a grudge about his dismissal 490 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: for the rest of his life. He even went so 491 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: far as to state his displeasure with the Irish government 492 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 1: in his own will in regards to his life's worth 493 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 1: and possessions. He wrote, quote, I might have had more 494 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: to dispose of had it not been for the outrageous 495 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: way in which I was treated by the Irish government 496 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:09,280 Speaker 1: over the loss of the Irish Crown jewels, in which 497 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: you know, fair point, but still wow, but even more 498 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 1: petty than that. And possibly my favorite little tidbit of 499 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 1: information on Vicars that I dug up in research for 500 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 1: this episode is that after his resignation quote, Vickers, in 501 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,160 Speaker 1: a fit of malice, retained the key to the strong 502 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 1: room at the Office of Arms, forcing the newly appointed 503 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: Ulster to break and enter to retrieve state regalia required 504 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:40,840 Speaker 1: at an official function end quote. At least at the 505 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: end of the day, Vickers finally learned his lesson and 506 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,360 Speaker 1: learned how to lock the strong room door behind him 507 00:34:47,400 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 1: before leaving Dublin Castle for the final time. Noble Blood 508 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: is a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm and 509 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: Mild from Aaron Mankey. Noble Blood is hosted by me 510 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: Danish Wortz. Additional writing and researching done by Hannah Johnston, 511 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 1: hannah's Wick, Miura Hayward, Courtney Sunder and Laurie Goodman. The 512 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: show is produced by rema Il Kayali, with supervising producer 513 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 1: Josh Thayne and executive producers Aaron Mankey, Alex Williams, and 514 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: Matt Frederick. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit 515 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 1: the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 516 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.