Alice Wheeldon

Alice Wheeldon (27 January 1866 - 21 February 1919) was a member of the Independent Labour Party and an anti war campaigner.

Born in Derby, Wheeldon joined the Women's Social and Political Union and, with her family, including her daughters Hettie and Winnie Mason, she became involved in opposition to World War I.

In January 1917 Wheeldon was sent four vials of curare. She later claimed that these were to be used to kill guard dogs at a camp for conscientious objectors (although, in fact, such camps were wholly unguarded, let alone by guard dogs). When this package was intercepted, she, along with Hattie, Winnie and Winnie's husband, Alfred Mason, was charged with conspiracy to murder the Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Labour Party member Arthur Henderson. Alice was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment; Winnie and Alfred Mason to shorter terms, while Hattie was acquitted. Alice was sent to Aylesbury Prison, where she went on hunger strike. She was released on licence in December 1918, but died of Spanish influenza shortly afterwards.

It has been shown by John Jackson, in the May 2007 issue of History Today that the Wheeldon trial and the subsequent convictions were unsound, and that the Wheeldons were framed by the security services. [ [http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6684020/Losing-the-plot-Alice-Wheeldon.html#abstract Losing the plot. ] at goliath.ecnext.com]

References

*"Wheeldon, Alice Ann", "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"

*"Friends of Alice Wheeldon", Sheila Rowbothom