Drakard’s Stamford News – Friday 10 April 1818

On April 1, 1818 Lord Palmerston, then the Chancellor of the Exchequer, walked up the stairs of the War Office to be approached by Lieutenant David Davies who then shot his lordship. The bullet would only graze Palmerston’s back, and Davies was quickly taken into custody.

Davies had a grievance over his pension and was found to be mentally ill, so that Palmerston paid for his legal defence. Davies was sent to Bethlem.

In his later years, Palmerston would go on to be Prime Minister twice.