St Stephen's Chamber

I'm looking directly at the windows and exterior wall of St Stephen's Chapel as I write this. In some senses it has become a "forgotten" treasure. Today - as some people queue to get a seat in the Visitors' Gallery in the House of Commons - they will wait in what seems like a large waiting room. Others will hurry through as they make their way to meeting their MP in Central Lobby or to visit one of the committees. Yet this was the space occupied by the House of Commons for the longest period of its history. It was here that King Charles I was rebuffed when he (and an accompanying armed band of soldiers) marched on the House to demand that the Speaker tell him where five of his least favourite MPs were. (4th January 1642) At the other end of the chamber, Spencer Perceval became the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated. (11th May 1812) This was where Amern independence was debated - where the struggles to abolish the slave trade and widen the franchise were fought.

If you visit the Palace of Westminster, you may only take photographs here and in Westminster Hall. Currently there is an interactive guide to the history (with pictures of what the chamber looked like at different periods of its history). It's well worth going to use it.

You can also see where the Speaker's Chair stood; where the Table of the House was; Where the Chamber ended and the 'Lobby' began. There are also some fine painting showing scenes from British (and world) history

- and for anyone who participates in pub quizzes: the answer to the question of who the "five members" were is

- John Hampden
- Arthur Haselrig
- Denzil Holles
- John Pym
- William Strode

Assassination

In a corner of what was once the Lobby of the House of Commons, in St Stephen’s Hall – some flowers have been placed to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the assassination of Spencer Perceval. He was the only British Prime Minister to have been murdered. He was also unusual in that at the time of his death he was also Chancellor of the Exchequer; Leader of the House of commons; and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

John Bellingham had visited the Strangers’ Gallery in the House a number of times in the preceding days, even asking a journalist to identify various members of the government. The murder took place on Monday 11th May 1812. He had spent the afternoon with his landlady and her son in a museum in St James (close to Chatham House). They had walked to Sidney’s Alley near Leicester Square – then, alone, he walked down to the Palace of Westminster, and joined the crowd standing in the lobby, standing by the closed part of the double doors. When the Prime Minister entered the lobby on his way into the chamber Bellingham took his right hand out of an enlarged inside pocket of his coat – stretched out his arm, bringing the barrel of a pistol up to Percival’s chest – and fatally shot the Prime Minister.

While the murder shocked the politicians – it was met with jubilant celebrations . Bellingham was even held in the Palace of Westminster until after midnight, by which time the crowds had been cleared. He taken to Newgate Prrison; tried on the Friday; and hanged the following Monday morning.

Over the last few hours I read "Why Spencer Percival had to die" by Andro Linklater - it is compelling reading, and I thoroughly recommend it. The background - both personal and political - is dealt with in depth, and some interesting theories put forward.