Robert Pate
Encyclopedia
Robert Francis Pate, Jr was a former British Army
officer
, best remembered for his assault
on Queen Victoria on June 27, 1850.
cy the following year.
in Piccadilly
on June 27, 1850, in order to see her dying uncle, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
. At about 6:20 that evening, her carriage was leaving the courtyard when Robert Pate, formerly an officer in the British Army, beat her on the head with a small cane that he was carrying. He beat her quite forcibly on the head, crushing her bonnet. By some accounts, this attack drew blood, but by others she was merely bruised.
In either case, Pate was immediately arrested and was quickly put on trial. He attempted to plead insanity
, but the judges found him sane. As a result, Pate was given the maximum sentence, seven years of penal transportation
.
, which is today known as Tasmania
. Pate served his seven years of penal servitude, during and immediately after which he may have accumulated riches, possibly in gold. In any case, he returned to England, and his wife, in early 1860.
, in order to settle his father's estate. His father, Robert Pate, Sr., had died shortly before Pate's return and likely left a small fortune, having been Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire
and High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. The elder Pate had also been a major factor in the corn market locally.
The publishers of the local newspaper, The Wisbech Advertiser, reported Pate's death at the age of seventy. He had left an estate of ₤22,464 (equivalent to £1,779,996 today 2007) to his wife.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, best remembered for his assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
on Queen Victoria on June 27, 1850.
Early career
In 1841, Pate purchased a Cornetcy in the 10th Light Dragoons. He purchased a LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
cy the following year.
Assassination attempt
The Queen had visited Cambridge HouseCambridge House
Cambridge House is a grade I listed mansion on the northern side of Piccadilly in central London, England. It was built for Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, by architect Matthew Brettingham in 1756-1761. It was initially known as Egremont House. The house is in a late Palladian style. It has...
in Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
on June 27, 1850, in order to see her dying uncle, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
The Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge , was the tenth child and seventh son of George III and Queen Charlotte. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 1801 until his death. He also served as Viceroy of Hanover on behalf of his brothers George IV and William IV...
. At about 6:20 that evening, her carriage was leaving the courtyard when Robert Pate, formerly an officer in the British Army, beat her on the head with a small cane that he was carrying. He beat her quite forcibly on the head, crushing her bonnet. By some accounts, this attack drew blood, but by others she was merely bruised.
In either case, Pate was immediately arrested and was quickly put on trial. He attempted to plead insanity
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
, but the judges found him sane. As a result, Pate was given the maximum sentence, seven years of penal transportation
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
.
In Tasmania
In August 1850, Robert Pate was sent to Van Diemen's LandVan Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
, which is today known as Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. Pate served his seven years of penal servitude, during and immediately after which he may have accumulated riches, possibly in gold. In any case, he returned to England, and his wife, in early 1860.
Later life
Following his penal servitude in Tasmania, Robert Pate returned to his home town of WisbechWisbech
Wisbech is a market town, inland port and civil parish with a population of 20,200 in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The tidal River Nene runs through the centre of the town and is spanned by two bridges...
, in order to settle his father's estate. His father, Robert Pate, Sr., had died shortly before Pate's return and likely left a small fortune, having been Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
and High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. The elder Pate had also been a major factor in the corn market locally.
The publishers of the local newspaper, The Wisbech Advertiser, reported Pate's death at the age of seventy. He had left an estate of ₤22,464 (equivalent to £1,779,996 today 2007) to his wife.