James Maclaine, a figure of some charm, known as “the gentleman highwayman”, is surprisingly born into a very respectable Presbyterian family 300 years ago; his actual birth date remains unknown. He hailed from Co Monaghan, a younger of two sons and a daughter born to Rev Lauchlin (or Thomas) Maclaine, a Scottish-origin Presbyterian minister, and Elizabeth Milling. His elder brother, Archibald, chose to follow their father’s footsteps, but young James, a locally-educated lad, starkly defied his parents’ attempts to mold him into a respectable person, as noted by Patrick Geoghegan in the Dictionary of Irish Biography.
Upon his father’s demise when James was no older than 17, he squandered his inheritance living extravagantly and thus was forced to move to London seeking employment. He considered joining the Irish Brigade of the French army, but his reluctance to convert to Catholicism deterred that option. Instead, he found himself joining the Lord Albemarle’s cavalry, but a scandalous affair with an officer’s wife leading to his physical punishment and dismissal soon followed.
After his dismissal, he made a sensible decision to marry a wealthy publican’s daughter from Oxford Road, London, around 1746. With her dowry, he settled down as a grocer and chandler (a trader of naval supplies and equipment) at Cavendish Square.
After his wife passed away in 1748, he was left with a daughter who was subsequently cared for by her maternal relatives. This series of events, coupled with his failing business, steered him towards a life of illicit activity. He was joined on this path by William Plunkett, an Irish apothecary who had cared for his late wife. Initially, their plan was to set him up with a wealthy heiress, with him posing as a gentleman and Plunkett as his servant. However, this scheme proved fruitless, burning through resources with little to show for it.
Subsequently, they transitioned to being masked highwaymen, carrying out the majority of their felonious exploits in the then-wild Hyde Park. The proceeds from their criminal exploits secured them a residence in St James’s Street, with him continuing the facade of an Irish squire and Plunkett his lackey. Patrick Geoghegan has described him as charming and attractive, which made him quite popular in London.
The pair’s most notorious heist occurred in November of 1749 and involved notable diarist and politician, Horace Walpole. During the encounter, he accidentally shot at Walpole— the only such occasion in his career. Although Walpole’s face was burned by the shot, the injury wasn’t catastrophically severe. Regretful, he penned an apology to Walpole, even offering a duel as recompense. However, Geoghegan observes that Walpole sensibly disregarded the letter.
Following this incident, he made his way to the Hague, to visit his minister brother and let the heat die down in London. While he was there, he lived lavishly, showering people with gifts. After another unsuccessful attempt to secure a wealthy bride, he and Plunkett resumed their life as highwaymen, embarking on daring capers. One of which proved to be his downfall.
In June of 1750, following their robbery of the Salisbury coach, a passenger published a list of the stolen items. When he went on to sell some of these items, it conclusively linked him to the crime.
He was seized and incarcerated, eventually reaching a breaking point where he confessed to all his wrongdoings, insisting that his path was influenced by Plunkett, who managed to evade capture. His court case garnered massive public attention, with female followers particularly attracted to his romantic persona, says Geoghegan. Declared culpable, he was punished with death at Tyburn, due on October 3rd, 1750.
While some speculate that his clergyman sibling condemned him, others suggest that he penned a letter pleading the court for leniency on his brother’s behalf. A large assembly witnessed the execution, where he remained composed. As reported, his last words to the crowd were prayers for forgiveness for his enemies, blessings for his allies and acceptance of his soul by God. A bystander allegedly heard him utter, just before he was hanged: “I shan’t witness this lovely sun any longer. May the celestial sun illuminate my departing spirit.”
Patrick Geoghegan suggests that stories about ‘the polite robber’ and ‘the favourite of the ladies’ thrived even after his demise. The story loosely inspired the 1999 movie ‘Plunkett and Macleane’ which featured Lee Miller as Macleane and Robert Carlyle portraying Plunkett.