Mary Stuart, who said she was the grand-daughter of Charles Stuart, The Young Pretender to the British throne, importunes Lord Palmerston without success and is punished by being confined for seven years.
‘At Marlborough-street police-court, on the 26th ult., Mary Stuart, needlewoman, about 60 years of age, who said she lived in Great Warner-street, Clerkenwell, was charged with wilfully breaking a square of glass at the residence of Lord Palmerston, Piccadilly. The offence was proved by Henry Bird, groom of the chambers to Lord Palmerston, who said that the prisoner came up to the house and inquired, “Is this Lord Palmerston’s ?” and being told that it was, deliberately threw a stone at the window. The prisoner, in reply to the charge, entered into a long statement, the effect of which was that she was the grand-daughter of Prince Charles Stuart, the Pretender ; that she had made repeated applications to the Government since 1829, also to George the Fourth, to the King of Hanover, and to the late Sir James Graham, but without effect. She had broken the windows of Sir James Graham, and was committed for ten days for so doing. She was afterwards kept in confinement for seven years, on the pretence that she was of unsound mind. A commission was sent to see her : they said she was sane, and she was liberated. She had written to Lord Palmerston for assistance, but as she could get no reply she broke a window. Since she had been discharged from the asylum she had gained her living by needlework. Mr. Knox remanded her for a week.’
Stamford Mercury, April 3, 1863.