Jewels stolen from Wellington Museum, Apsley House, London

Dec. 12, 1965 - Raiders steal Iron Duke Jewels. Pricless jewels which once belonged to the Duke of Wellington, the Iron Duke, were stolen last night in a daring raid by two men. The raiders walked into the Wellington Museum at Apsley House, Piccadilly, just before it was due to close at 5.15pm. They bought visitors tickets and went to the room where the Wellington gems are displayed. The two men slammed the door and hammered wedges under it. Then they coshed the 60-year old attendant, Mr Alfred Brown, of Forest Hill, South London. The raiders smashed showcases and grabbed the Greater George Garter Jewel, the 10, 000 jewel of the Golden Fleece and a jewelled baton of a field-marshal of the Imperial Russian Army. The two men escaped to the street through a window using a piece of corrugated iron as a makeshift bridge. The Garter Jewel was lent to Sir Winston Churchill for the Coronation in 1953. It was originally given to his ancestor, the first Duke of Marlborough. Photo shows view of the Plate and China Room of the Wellington Museum, Apsley House, showing two of the three smashed showcases after the raid. On the left is the smashed showcase which held the Greater George Garter Jewel

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10000 60-year Ancestor Apsley Attendant Baton Belonged Bought Corrugated Coshed Daring Displayed Escaped Fleece Garter Gems Grabbed Hammered Jewel Jewelled Jewels Lent Makeshift Marlborough Piccadilly Raiders Showcase Showcases Slammed Smashed Steal Stolen Tickets Walked Wedges Wellington

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