Cato Street Conspiracy Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

In February 1820, London was rocked by a shocking discovery at a humble dwelling on Cato Street. A group of radicals had gathered in this unassuming location, secretly plotting to assassinate the entire British cabinet as they dined at the home of Lord Harrowby on Grosvenor Square. The ambitious goal of this Cato Street Conspiracy was nothing less than the overthrow of the government.

The conspirators, led by Arthur Thistlewood, were a motley crew of disaffected Londoners. Many were still reeling from the effects of the Napoleonic Wars and the economic turmoil that followed. Thistlewood himself was a known radical who had previously been involved in the Spa Fields riots of 1816. The group carefully planned their attack, intending to storm Lord Harrowby’s home with guns and grenades.

However, unbeknownst to the conspirators, government spies had infiltrated their ranks. On the evening of February 23, 1820, just hours before the planned attack, police stormed the Cato Street building and arrested nearly all involved. Thistlewood managed to briefly escape but was apprehended the following day. Five of the conspirators, including Thistlewood, were convicted of high treason and sentenced to death, with the executions carried out in May 1820. The Cato Street Conspiracy remains a vivid reminder of the social and political unrest bubbling under the surface of Regency-era London, even as the city grew in wealth and global influence during this period.

Today, Cato Street still exists, located just north of Edgware Road in London’s Westminster borough. While most of the original buildings are long gone, this unassuming side street gained a spot on the historical map due to the shocking events of 1820. The plaque at 1a Cato Street, erected in 1977, ensures that passers-by remember this fascinating and troubling slice of London’s past.