BBC - Days that Shook the World Series 2 (2004) Part 4 Grand Heist The Theft of the Crown Jewels/The Great Train Robbery

Through dramatic reconstructions, eye-witness accounts and archive footage, each episode in the “Days That Shook the World” TV series pieces together the thrilling stories of the landmarks of our time; the moments in history - human tragedies, scientific breakthroughs and calamitous events that have profoundly affected the way the world thinks and acts. Days that Shook the World examines some of the most important days in history, creating a detailed and forensic analysis of 24 hours that changed the world. It covers some of the biggest themes in World history - from the history of flight, to the rise and fall of Communism. This fresh and unusual BBC production explores mankind's defining moments. A gripping anatomy of some of the most important days in history, hour by hour as they unfolded. Incisive, fascinating & dramatic, the complete series builds a compelling picture of the seismic moments in world history. From ancient Egypt to the Berlin Wall, these episodes look at events that had a lasting impact on human history, from technological breakthroughs to political tragedies. Finding new angles and putting events into historical context, the series spans centuries and continents with one common thread On each of these days, the lives of millions were changed forever. Incredible breakthroughs, acts of shocking brutality, and stories of hope form the themes of these compelling programs. As the clock ticks, the events of the day climax, and we learn just what happened and how the day affected the course of history. The series focuses on events that defined the 20th century, from the discovery of the first dinosaur remains to the Hindenburg disaster. The programmes also investigate Yuri Gagarin's space flight; the Great Train Robbery; the abdication of Edward VIII; the events leading to the fictional Day Of The Jackal; the theft of the Crown Jewels; the hoax that was Piltdown Man; and disasters such as the Oklahoma bombing and the Challenger explosion.

A Lion Television Production for BBC in Association with The History Channel

Part 4 Grand Heist The Theft of the Crown Jewels/The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery and the theft of the British crown jewels. London, England. It is May 9, 1671. At 7 am, Parson Blood arrives at the Tower of London to visit his close friend, Talbot Edwards, the Keeper of the Crown Jewels. With him are his nephew and two other men. Edwards is hoping for a match between his daughter and Blood's wealthy nephew. But Edwards is about to discover that the Parson isn't a parson at all and that their friendship has been a ruse to gain access to the most valuable stash of jewels in the country. In Grand Heist it is 1660, England's republican experiment failed with the death of Richard Cromwell, and the Commonwealth dream died. Many republicans were against the restoration of the monarchy, and found it difficult to accept Charles II and his foppish, Catholic retinue. Dissenters and terrorists were in abundance as Charles II implemented laws to curb the power of religious non-conformists and puritans. One such religious dissenter was an Irishman, self-styled Colonel Thomas Blood. The Great Train Robbery. The events of 8 August 1963, as thieves stole E2.5m from a mail train in rural Buckinghamshire - the biggest theft in world history at that point. Who really profited from one of Britain's most infamous robberies? The dramatization draws upon the touching story behind the architect of the robbery, Bruce Reynolds.

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