His most famous case was his involvement in thwarting the Cato Street Conspiracy masterminded by Arthur Thistlewood. Thistlewood was a disciple of Thomas Spence (d. 1814) who promoted a radical transformation of society and the overthrow of the British government.
In 1817 George was employed by the government to act as a spy and to infiltrate the Spenceans.
His detective work revealed an armed rising was planned involving upwards of 15,000 men. Surveillance work continued on the group, then in February 1820, Thistlewood gained knowledge that several members of the British government were to be dining at Lord Harrowby’s house at 39 Grosvenor Square on 23rd February.
A stable in Cato Street, a short distance from Grosvenor Square, was chosen as a rendezvous for the assembling conspirators. With his considerable knowledge of the group, George took up his position at the nearby Horse and Groom public house to observe events.
An order was made to storm the building. George, the officer bearing the warrant for the arrest of the conspirators, was one of the first to enter the loft above the stable. The surprised conspirators were arming themselves with weapons and a violent struggle began, during which a Bow Street officer was killed and Arthur Thistlewood escaped.
George was one of the officers who later arrested him and gave evidence at his trial at the Old Bailey.
George’s private life was as eventful as his public one. His first wife whom he married in 1816 left him; he then lived with Mary Ann Harrison by whom he had nine children. I am descended from his son Christopher Charles Robert Ruthven. Oddly enough this exciting character in my family history had gone unmentioned, my mother apparently having no knowledge of her illustrious ancestor.
At the time of his marriage to Jemima Rieg in 1860, CCR was a coffeehouse keeper. He had various occupations, but by 1885 he was a property developer, and responsible for the building of houses in Clapton Passage, Hackney.
He and Jemima had a family of eleven children. Jemima died shortly after the birth of a daughter in 1878.
In 1880 Christopher married Mary Ann Wall, 30 years his junior, the daughter of Jemima's sister.
The above photograph shows CCR Ruthven and Mary Ann by whom he had a further eight children.
Christopher Charles Robert Ruthven was born in Drury Lane in 1830, one of nine children born to George Thomas Joseph Ruthven and his common-law wife, Mary Ann Harrison.
I am descended from his eldest child, Christopher John Ruthven, my great-grandfather, born to Jemima in 1860.