Overview

A historical investigation into one of the most serpentine attempts on Queen Victoria’s life that reveals for the first time the true instigator at the heart of government. • There were eight attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria during her long reign; four of them were of Irish origin. The most serious of all was the ‘Jubilee Plot’, a conspiracy apparently hatched in New York by the Fenian Brotherhood to blow up the Queen, her family and most of the British Cabinet with dynamite at the great service of thanksgiving to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her accession, held at Westminster Abbey in June 1887. • The plot was ‘uncovered’ by Scotland Yard with just a few days to go. Several of the bombers were caught, tried and sentenced to penal servitude for life. But – warned off in time – the master bomber escaped to America… • Now, using recently declassified Foreign Office Secret files (marked ‘Fenian Brotherhood’), the author discloses for the first time the huge secret at the heart of the British counter-intelligence operation against militant Irish nationalists: the entire conspiracy was masterminded for its own reasons by a clandestine British agency reporting directly to the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury.

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9780007104826

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Reviews

'Christy Campbell has come up with a genuine historical scoop... In a superb piece of historical detective work, Campbell has pieced together every element of the conspiracy on both sides of the Atlantic, from the prime minister's house in St James's to the Islington garret where the dynamitards were arrested in November 1887... It was a classic case of an agent provocateur sting.' Andrew Roberts, The Times 'Campbell has uncovered an extraordinary web of personal and political intrigue... an enthralling tale... the pace never slackens... Particularly good is his account of the origins of Irish revolutionary nationalism... To tell this involved story against the backdrop of bureaucratic bickering, revolutionary intrigue and clandestine meetings between spies and informers is both original and clever. Campbell is making this type of breezy investigative history his own.' Andrew Lycett, Sunday Times 'The jubilee plot is such a bizarre episode that I would regard it as the product of a febrile imagination had Christy Campbell not documented sufficient evidence to remove all reasonable doubt... From Mexico City to Liverpool and from the House of Commons to Chicago coroner's court, the story moves at the pace of the best sort of adventure story. All the Boy's Own Paper ingredients are there... colourful characters and compelling story... Its account of Fenian organisation and activity makes a real contribution to nineteenth-century history.' Roy Hattersley, Observer 'An extraordinary story... Campbell has drawn skilfully on recently-released papers from Home Office files and elsewhere, revealing the workings of an extraordinary counter-terrorism operation which penetrated the Irish revolutionary movement in all locations and at all levels. Campbell take us through a fascinating account of how British agents bought the services of veteran Irish-American figures... The book is history, not fiction. But the reader may sometimes forget that, such is the pace and strong narrative style. It is a scrupulously accurate and detailed piece of research which tells a dramatic tale, but which also provides a valuable insight into little known aspects of the 19th century relationship between Britain and Ireland.' Conor Brady, Irish Times 'A real page-turner, Fenian Fire shows that Victorian history has a neglected Intelligence dimension ... the extraordinary affair of the Diamond Jubilee plot makes The Day of the Jackal look placid by comparison.' Professor J.R. Vincent 'Excellent... Campbell has done a marvellous job, reminding us in his enormously entertaining book just how stupid politicians can be.' Andrew Crumey, Scotland on Sunday 'A splendidly written piece of research, diverse in location and madly cast... Terrific!' Brian Cass, Time Out 'In many ways Fenian Fire is a remarkable book; it is populated by a colourful, even bizarre cast of characters... Campbell's research is prodigious and largely original... He is to be congratulated on a very worthwhile book.' C.D.C. Armstrong, Daily Telegraph

Queen Victoria was the most shot-at of all British monarchs (she rather welcomed this, as the public horror at the various attempts proved, to her, how much she was loved by the public). This book mentions them only in passing, and concentrates entirely on a Fenian plot (most public outrages of the time were the result of the Irish question) to blow up Westminster Abbey while she was there celebrating her silver jubilee. It is an extremely interesting and very complex story, with a fascinating main character in the American 'General' Frank Millen, an apparently respectable journalist and ex-missionary who was never properly brought to book. But there are innumerable ramifications involving British and Irish MPs, the smuggling of explosives, forgery, burglary and murder, American support for Irish nationalists, actions for libel against The Times - all against the background of the Irish famine, the controversy connecting Charles Stuart Parnell with alleged criminal activities and Lord Randolph Churchill's support of Ulster. It is a complex tapestry, and the author treats it almost filmically, with the scene moving swiftly from place to place: the British consulate in New York to HM Legation in Stockholm to the House of Commons to Room 56 of the Home Office.... Campbell has consulted documents only very recently released (in fact, he seems to have had to prise them almost physically from the Records Office) and although the reader must concentrate hard to follow the story, identify the many character and appreciate their motives, he tells an exciting and surprising story with pace and skill. (Kirkus UK)

'Christy Campbell has come up with a genuine historical scoop! In a superb piece of historical detective work, Campbell has pieced together every element of the conspiracy on both sides of the Atlantic, from the prime minister's house in St James's to the Islington garret where the dynamitards were arrested in November 1887! It was a classic case of an agent provocateur sting.' Andrew Roberts, The Times 'Campbell has uncovered an extraordinary web of personal and political intrigue! an enthralling tale! the pace never slackens! Particularly good is his account of the origins of Irish revolutionary nationalism! To tell this involved story against the backdrop of bureaucratic bickering, revolutionary intrigue and clandestine meetings between spies and informers is both original and clever. Campbell is making this type of breezy investigative history his own.' Andrew Lycett, Sunday Times 'The jubilee plot is such a bizarre episode that I would regard it as the product of a febrile imagination had Christy Campbell not documented sufficient evidence to remove all reasonable doubt! From Mexico City to Liverpool and from the House of Commons to Chicago coroner's court, the story moves at the pace of the best sort of adventure story. All the Boy's Own Paper ingredients are there! colourful characters and compelling story! Its account of Fenian organisation and activity makes a real contribution to nineteenth-century history.' Roy Hattersley, Observer 'An extraordinary story! Campbell has drawn skilfully on recently-released papers from Home Office files and elsewhere, revealing the workings of an extraordinary counter-terrorism operation which penetrated the Irish revolutionary movement in all locations and at all levels. Campbell take us through a fascinating account of how British agents bought the services of veteran Irish-American figures! The book is history, not fiction. But the reader may sometimes forget that, such is the pace and strong narrative style. It is a scrupulously accurate and detailed piece of research which tells a dramatic tale, but which also provides a valuable insight into little known aspects of the 19th century relationship between Britain and Ireland.' Conor Brady, Irish Times 'A real page-turner, Fenian Fire shows that Victorian history has a neglected Intelligence dimension ! the extraordinary affair of the Diamond Jubilee plot makes The Day of the Jackal look placid by comparison.' Professor J.R. Vincent 'Excellent! Campbell has done a marvellous job, reminding us in his enormously entertaining book just how stupid politicians can be.' Andrew Crumey, Scotland on Sunday 'A splendidly written piece of research, diverse in location and madly cast! Terrific!' Brian Cass, Time Out 'In many ways Fenian Fire is a remarkable book; it is populated by a colourful, even bizarre cast of characters! Campbell's research is prodigious and largely original! He is to be congratulated on a very worthwhile book.' C.D.C. Armstrong, Daily Telegraph

'Christy Campbell has come up with a genuine historical scoop... In a superb piece of historical detective work, Campbell has pieced together every element of the conspiracy on both sides of the Atlantic, from the prime minister's house in St James's to the Islington garret where the dynamitards were arrested in November 1887... It was a classic case of an agent provocateur sting.' Andrew Roberts, The Times 'Campbell has uncovered an extraordinary web of personal and political intrigue... an enthralling tale... the pace never slackens... Particularly good is his account of the origins of Irish revolutionary nationalism... To tell this involved story against the backdrop of bureaucratic bickering, revolutionary intrigue and clandestine meetings between spies and informers is both original and clever. Campbell is making this type of breezy investigative history his own.' Andrew Lycett, Sunday Times 'The jubilee plot is such a bizarre episode that I would regard it as the product of a febrile imagination had Christy Campbell not documented sufficient evidence to remove all reasonable doubt... From Mexico City to Liverpool and from the House of Commons to Chicago coroner's court, the story moves at the pace of the best sort of adventure story. All the Boy's Own Paper ingredients are there... colourful characters and compelling story... Its account of Fenian organisation and activity makes a real contribution to nineteenth-century history.' Roy Hattersley, Observer

Author Information

Christy Campbell is a writer, journalist and former defence correspondent and feature writer for the Sunday Telegraph, which he joined on the eve of the first Gulf War. He is the author of The Maharajah’s Box, Fenian Fire and Phylloxera: How Wine was Saved for the World.

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