The Grave of Violet Gibson

The Honourable Violet Albina Gibson (1876-1956) was born in Dublin, Ireland. She was the daughter of Edward Gibson, 1st Baron Ashbourne (1837-1913), an Irish lawyer and politician, and Frances Maria Adelaide Colles (1849-1926), a Christian scientist.

In 1924 Violet Gibson moved to a convent in Rome, to live a life of private prayer and attending church. Here, in 1925, Gibson attempted suicide; shooting herself in her ribs.

On 7th April 1926, Italy’s Facist leader, Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) delivered a speech on the wonders of modern medicine, for the International Congress of Surgeons. At this time Gibson devised an assassination plot, arming herself with a Modèle 1892 revolver disguised in a black shawl and a rock; to break Mussolini’s car window if the need arose.

Following the event, Mussolini was driven through the cheering crowds in the Piazza del Campidoglio and Gibson fired at him. The first shot hit Mussolini’s nose rather than his head and the second attempt resulted in a misfire.

Gibson was almost lynched by the furious crowd, but the police intervened and arrested her. Mussolini did not suffer serious injuries; after being bandaged he continued his parade on Capitoline Hill.

During questioning, Gibson did not explain her reasons for the attempted assassination and it was theorised that Gibson was insane. Her sister, Constance, suggested that grief, caused by their brother Victor’s death, led to Violets mind becoming ‘unhinged’.

On the orders of Mussolini, Gibson was later released without charge and deported to Britain in 1927. The condition for Gibson’s release was that she would be committed to St Andrews Hospital, a former mental asylum in Northampton. Gibson remained here for the rest of her life. Despite Mussolini’s later atrocities, Gibson’s pleas to be moved from the asylum were ignored and the letters she wrote were never mailed. Gibson was buried in Kingsthorpe Cemetery; her final request for a Catholic funeral was denied.

If Gibson had attempted this assassination some ten to fifteen years later she would have likely been hailed a national hero rather than a ‘lunatic’.