On 10 March 1917, towards the end of the First World War, Derby woman Alice Wheeldon was convicted, along with her daughter, Winnie Mason, and son-in-law, Alf Mason, of conspiring to murder the Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Labour leader Arthur Henderson.

Alice was a suffragist, pacifist and anti-war campaigner, and the trial had been sensational and politically charged, involving elusive undercover agents, accusations of bad character and alleged poison plots.

Over the decades it became increasingly clear that a serious miscarriage of justice had occurred, and in recent times, a campaign to ‘clear their names’ has inspired many local people, historians, and supporters far and wide.

Alice’s descendants, Chloë and Deirdre Mason, created this website as part of the campaign.

The story:

• A miscarriage of justice: Activism, secret intelligence operations, a trial re-started, a key witness not called, unjust convictions

• The Wheeldons: A strong and principled family caught up in the febrile atmosphere of the First World War

THE CAMPAIGN:

• Derby and the First World War centenary: A fuller picture of Alice’s life and the injustice she suffered begins to emerge

• Criminal Cases Review Commission: Opportunities to raise new grounds for appeal through an application to the UK’s Criminal Cases Review Commission

• Changing the narrative: The momentum of the campaign brings the facts of Alice’s story to wider audiences

Explore:

• Resources: A wealth of references to publications and creative works that provide context to the injustice of the trial and its implications for today

• News: Latest developments