A date with destiny: bringing home the stone
IT almost sounds like the plot of an old Ealing comedy.
In the early hours of Christmas Day, 1950, three Scottish students – a fourth stayed in a car outside – broke into Westminster Abbey and took a block of red sandstone from under the Coronation Chair – accidentally breaking the stone in two in the process.
Once their actions were discovered, the authorities issued a description of the stone, along with generic descriptions of two suspects.
Historic border closure
The border between England and Scotland was briefly closed for the first time in 400 years.
Cars travelling north were stopped and checked, while ports, airports, road transport drivers, and railway employees were instructed to “watch out for unusually heavy packages”.
Part of the Serpentine river, in Hyde Park, was searched in vain, while police in Glasgow initially considered the theft of a five-ton Dennis lorry from a factory in Partick as “possibly connected”.
A royal panic
King George VI – the present King's grandfather – was said to be “greatly distressed” at the loss. His government, and their police forces, were left on the back foot.
While “Scottish enthusiasts” were speedily believed responsible, the four students – after hiding the two sections not that far from London – easily travelled back to Scotland undetected.
They later returned to collect the stone once the initial hue and cry had settled down.
Despite a very public search, the authorities ultimately failed to find the stone – at least, until it was left for “collection” by the students on the high altar of Arbroath Abbey several months later.
Although those responsible, including promising law student and future Queen’s Counsel Ian Hamilton, were interviewed by police and all, except for Hamilton, had admitted their involvement, no charges were pressed – possibly in fear of stoking latent feelings of Scottish nationalism.
Did you know?
The Stone of Scone is also known as the Stone of Destiny, Jacob’s Pillow Stone, the Tanist Stone, Stane o Scuin, An Lia Fáil, Clach-na-cinneamhain, and the Coronation Stone!
