The Great Irish Crown Jewels Heist: An Unsolved Mystery

In 1907, Ireland’s ‘Crown Jewels’ vanished from Dublin Castle, four days before they were to be used during a state visit by King Edward VII. 

Public domain image of the jewels from the police reward notice

More than a century later, the mystery behind their disappearance remains unsolved, at least officially. 

However suspicion continues to linger around Francis Shackleton, younger brother of the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton . 

Did he pull off a heist under the nose of his colleague, friend and sometime housemate Sir Arthur Vicars? Sir Arthur was the Ulster King of Arms, or senior herald, responsible for the safe-keeping of the jewels and who was disgraced by their disappearance. 

But why, more than 110 years later, are we still fascinated by this crime? Simply put, if these treasures still exist today, they would be worth millions. 

So, what are the Irish Crown Jewels? 

Officially called the Jewels of the Order of St Patrick, the Irish Crown Jewels were created in 1831 for the Grand Master of this Irish order of knighthood, the equivalent of the English Knight of the Garter. Commissioned by King William IV, the regalia included an ornate diamond star and badge set with 394 precious stones, which were originally part of Queen Charlotte’s English Crown Jewels and George III’s Order of the Bath star. (Also stolen were five decorated 18ct gold collars awarded to past knights, plus earrings, a brooch and rings). A reward of £1000 was offered for information on their disappearance. 

When not being worn or cleaned, the insignia of the Grand Master and those of deceased knights were in the custody of the Ulster King of Arms, the position held at the time by Sir Arthur Vicars. They should have been kept in a recently constructed strongroom at Dublin Castle, but the safe was too big to fit in the room. So the safe was kept in the library in Bedford Tower instead. Even then, Sir Arthur should have been the only person with access to the two keys to the safe. 

Days before a visit by King Edward VII, the unthinkable happened. On the morning of July 6, 1907 it was discovered that the jewels were gone, with no signs of forced entry to the safe. Suspicion quickly fell on Sir Arthur, but was he really the culprit? 

Rumours and scandal

Rumours and theories proliferated, many voiced by MPs in Parliament as well as journalists. Were they stolen for the black market, broken up to be less recognisable? It seems the most likely explanation. Did Shackleton copy or steal the safe key? He certainly had access to the library, and perhaps also to the keys to the safe, as Sir Arthur’s approach to security was lax at best. Shackleton was cleared of involvement by the official commission into the theft. His subsequent criminal and fraudulent behaviour in the years after the theft is persuasive evidence of a bad character. 

The intrigue deepens with salacious allegations of an official cover-up, hinting that Shackleton and his circle, though likely excluding Vicars, were homosexual during an era when it was illegal. Their connections reached the highest echelons of society, including royal circles. The theory suggests that no one wanted the King's associates or prominent politicians entangled in scandal, leading to the belief that Shackleton was shielded from intense scrutiny. 

Other theories included the idea that the jewels were taken as a political statement to embarrass the Liberal government of the time. Both Unionist and Nationalist organisations received blame at different times. 

Sir Arthur himself was initially a focus of the investigation. Reports reveal that security had lapsed many times, including escapades with Sir Arthur drunkenly showing off the jewels to friends. The strongroom had been found open days before the theft was discovered. The commission stated, “The Commissioners cannot think Sir Arthur showed proper care in leaving the safe containing the jewels in a room which was open to the public all day, and was open all night to any person who either possessed or could get possession of one of seven latch-keys.” 

Their report concluded: “there is no evidence to support the suggestion that Mr Shackleton, the Dublin Herald, was the person who stole the jewels, and that he appeared to be a perfectly truthful and candid witness.” 

Sir Arthur, who eventually lost his job over the scandal, disagreed, even naming Shackleton as the culprit in his will (In 1921, he was murdered by the IRA during the Irish War of Independence in an act unrelated to the jewel theft). 

The story isn't over

Interest in the Irish Crown Jewels remained high. In 1912, there were newspaper reports that the jewels had been found and returned – officially denied. Bizarrely, the mahogany box that once held the jewels was returned to the Office of Arms (now part of the National Library) in 1928, posted anonymously with no indication of what happened to the jewels themselves. 

Into the 21st century, several books have been written and TV documentaries made about the theft. The jewels themselves have never been seen again, at least in public. Whether they were broken up for profit, hidden in some aristocratic vault, or lost forever to history, their fate is unknown. And that mystery, as much as the jewels’ sparkle, is why the story still fascinates today.