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303:, hid the large piece of stone in a field and made their way back to Scotland. Matheson left her car, containing the small piece of the Stone, with a friend in the Midlands, and like Vernon made her way back to Scotland by train. On discovering that the Stone was missing, the authorities closed the border between Scotland and England for the first time in four hundred years.
332:, addressing Parliament on the matter, said: "The clandestine removal of the Stone from Westminster Abbey, and the manifest disregard for the sanctity of the abbey, were vulgar acts of vandalism which have caused great distress and offence both in England and Scotland. I do not think, however, that the public interest required criminal proceedings to be taken."
287:
Ian
Hamilton placed the small piece of Stone in the boot of the car and got into the passenger seat. As he did this, Kay Matheson noticed a policeman in the gaslight; Hamilton and Matheson immediately fell into a lovers' clinch. The policeman stopped and the three proceeded to have a conversation
284:, they pulled down the barrier. On removing the Stone from under the Chair, it crashed to the floor and broke into two pieces. The three men, using Hamilton's coat, dragged the larger piece down the high altar steps, then Hamilton took the smaller piece to one of the cars waiting outside.
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The police conducted an investigation with a focus on
Scotland. All four of the group were interviewed and all but Ian Hamilton later confessed to their involvement. The authorities decided not to prosecute as the potential for the event to become politicised was far too great.
292:, Hamilton getting out on the way to walk back to the Abbey. On his arrival, there was no sign of Vernon and Stuart, so he proceeded to drag the large piece of stone to the car himself. As he was driving away, he saw Vernon and Stuart walking towards him.
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and decided to make an immediate attempt at removing the Stone from the Abbey. Later that day, Ian
Hamilton hid under a trolley in the Abbey, but was caught by a nightwatchman after the Abbey doors had been closed, briefly questioned, and then let go.
176:. It seems likely that the escapade was based on the fictional account of a plot by Scottish Nationalists to liberate the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Cathedral and to return it to Scotland, as told in Compton Mackenzie's novel
271:
The following day (Christmas Eve), Vernon and Stuart returned to
Westminster Abbey and learned some information on the watchmen's shifts. In the middle of that night, the three men entered a works yard and gained entrance into
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was at the high point of its popularity in
Scotland. The raid was completely unexpected and gave the cause of Scottish devolution and nationalism a brief sense of prominence in the public conscience throughout the country.
231:
monarchs were crowned sitting upon the chair and Stone. At the time, the Stone was viewed as a symbol of
Scottish nationhood; by removing the Stone to London, Edward I was declaring himself 'King of the Scots'.
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247:. Vernon agreed to participate in the plan along with Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart who were also students in Glasgow. By removing the Stone the group hoped to promote their cause for Scottish
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The students became notorious for the daring heist and, in
Scotland, they became immensely popular. The heist and the students became synonymous with the devolution and
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political movements in
Scotland from 1950 onwards. Over time, the incident encouraged a belief in change, and opened discussion on the Union, which had existed since
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At the time of the theft, the United
Kingdom was a unified nation and devolution towards its constituent nations was not on the political agenda (although
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239:, approached Gavin Vernon with a plan to steal the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in London and return it to Scotland. The heist was funded by a
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The stone was so heavy that the springs on the car were sagging, so Vernon, fearing the alarm had been raised, made his way to
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A fortnight later, Hamilton and some friends recovered the two pieces and brought them to
Glasgow. They hired a stonemason,
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The Stone of Scone, the ancient specific stone upon which Scottish monarchs had been crowned, was taken from
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released an hour-long bilingual (Scottish Gaelic and English) dramatization of Kay Matheson's (played by
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even though it was 5 a.m. Having shared some jokes and a cigarette, Matheson and Hamilton drove off to
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In April 1951, the police received a message and the Stone was found on the site of the High Altar at
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In December 1950, a few days before Christmas, the four students from Glasgow drove to London in two
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Sporan Dhòmhnaill – Gaelic Poems and Songs by the late Donald Macintyre, the Paisley Bard
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429:) interrogation by the police. In this version, Matheson pretends to speak only Gaelic.
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448:" ("The Song of the Stone"). Its return to London was the subject of an accompanying
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977:] (in Scottish Gaelic). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press. p. xxvi.
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731:"Gavin Vernon Engineer who helped return the Stone of Destiny to Scotland"
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and to reawaken a sense of national identity amongst the Scottish people.
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800:"Ian Hamilton on Stone of Destiny: I felt I was holding Scotland's soul"
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where, in 1320, the assertion of Scottish nationhood was made in the
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Donald's Purse – Gaelic Poems and Songs by the late Donald Macintyre
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324:. The Stone was returned to Westminster Abbey in February 1952.
1003:"The Wee Magic Stane ...sung by Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor"
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for Scotland. In 2008, the incident was made into a film called
989:"Features - the Rebels Ceilidh Song Book - the Wee Magic Stane"
413:) as the protagonist leading a team of students to reclaim the
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and took it back to Scotland. The students were members of the
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The removal of the stone was the subject of a contemporary
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had received just 0.4% of the vote in Scotland in the
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businessman, Robert Gray, who was a councillor on the
219:, kept in Westminster Abbey in London and fitted into
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On 25 December 1950, four Scottish students from the
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had withdrawn its commitment to devolution, and the
944:"AN CEASNACHADH – Interrogation of a Highland Lass"
57:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
276:. Reaching the Chapel containing the tomb of
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763:"First Stone raider meets his final destiny"
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117:Learn how and when to remove this message
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409:. The film depicted Hamilton (played by
235:In 1950, Ian Hamilton, a student at the
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183:, published six years earlier in 1944.
743:from the original on 27 December 2013
657:from the original on 27 February 2014
18:Removal of the Stone of Scone in 1950
7:
590:from the original on 25 January 2014
454:Nuair a Chaidh a' Chlach a Thilleadh
350:1950 United Kingdom general election
66:"1950 removal of the Stone of Scone"
55:adding citations to reliable sources
459:The removal was parodied in a song
456:" ("When the Stone Was Returned").
129:1950 heist by Scottish nationalists
401:The Taking of the Stone of Destiny
25:
1029:1950 crimes in the United Kingdom
950:from the original on 6 April 2017
942:Gaelic Filmz (19 February 2014).
773:from the original on 13 July 2013
1044:1950s in the City of Westminster
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403:, was made into a film entitled
299:. Hamilton and Stuart drove to
211:(Longshanks) in 1296 during the
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1099:Robberies in the United Kingdom
647:"Film review: Stone of Destiny"
623:. 29 March 2004. Archived from
42:needs additional citations for
1069:Monarchy of the United Kingdom
207:, Scotland, by troops of King
1:
1134:Wars of Scottish Independence
1064:Art and cultural repatriation
213:Scottish Wars of Independence
164:Scottish Covenant Association
150:and Alan Stuart) removed the
969:MacMillan, Somerled (1968).
926:The Internet Movie Database
442:song by Donald MacIntyre, "
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515:"Biography of Alan Stuart"
399:In 2008, Hamilton's book,
386:In December 1980 the film
166:, a group that supported
1034:1950 in British politics
931:(Retrieved 2010-01-09.)
466:Villikins and his Dinah
346:Scottish National Party
322:Declaration of Arbroath
1039:1950s crimes in London
888:British Film Institute
686:. 2012. Archived from
615:"Defining our destiny"
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179:The North Wind of Love
519:University of Glasgow
330:Sir Hartley Shawcross
237:University of Glasgow
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136:University of Glasgow
1094:Politics of Scotland
1074:Crime in Westminster
958:– via YouTube.
919:30 July 2018 at the
855:(23 December 1980).
736:The Herald (Glasgow)
255:Removal of the Stone
51:improve this article
1011:. 10 February 2010.
857:"Last Night's View"
853:Dorothy Grace Elder
627:on 27 December 2013
583:The Daily Telegraph
461:The Wee Magic Stane
381:Film and television
297:Rugby, Warwickshire
282:King Edward's Chair
245:Glasgow Corporation
221:King Edward's Chair
209:Edward I of England
894:on 29 October 2021
884:"The Pinch (1980)"
862:The Glasgow Herald
808:. 14 December 2008
680:"Stone of Destiny"
653:. 3 October 2008.
376:In popular culture
358:Conservative Party
265:Lyons Corner House
197:
1139:Westminster Abbey
1089:Individual thefts
769:. 29 March 2004.
690:on 3 January 2012
684:Historic Scotland
586:. 26 March 2004.
427:Kathleen MacInnes
156:Westminster Abbey
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659:. Retrieved
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629:. Retrieved
625:the original
620:The Scotsman
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592:. Retrieved
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495:Scone Palace
487:1950s portal
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144:Gavin Vernon
140:Ian Hamilton
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107:October 2022
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49:Please help
44:verification
41:
1114:Sovereignty
411:Charlie Cox
366:nationalist
311:Robert Gray
1023:Categories
898:14 October
868:14 October
501:References
249:devolution
187:Background
77:newspapers
1059:Art crime
839:319077062
830:The Times
812:1 January
777:1 January
747:1 January
694:1 January
661:1 January
631:1 January
594:1 January
390:aired on
388:The Pinch
336:Aftermath
227:and then
168:home rule
954:18 March
948:Archived
917:Archived
835:ProQuest
771:Archived
741:Archived
655:Archived
588:Archived
473:See also
423:BBC Alba
290:Victoria
278:Edward I
1124:Thrones
1008:YouTube
308:Baillie
241:Glasgow
229:British
225:English
91:scholar
1119:Stones
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450:lament
352:, the
160:London
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973:[
434:Music
392:BBC 2
215:as a
205:Perth
203:near
201:Scone
154:from
98:JSTOR
84:books
956:2017
900:2022
870:2022
814:2013
779:2013
749:2013
696:2013
663:2013
633:2013
596:2013
370:1707
301:Kent
280:and
181:Bk.1
70:news
923:,"
452:, "
158:in
53:by
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