Derby City Council has named its new Council House meeting room in honour of Alice Wheeldon (1866-1919). The Alice Wheeldon Room is open to a wide range of community groups, particularly as the Council’s accessible meeting room.
Council CEO Carole Mills said ‘The Council is keen to recognise local figures who have demonstrated remarkable fortitude and raised the profile of the city. This will be the first room at Derby’s Council House to be named after a woman, a much overdue milestone.’ Other meeting rooms are named after renowned Derbians: Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls-Royce; Private Jacob Rivers, awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War; and Sir Joseph Wright, a British eighteenth century artist.
Naming the room for Alice is in recognition of her bravery, strength, compassion, support and commitment to social justice, women’s rights, education and opposition to war and conscription during the First World War.
On 5 June 2019, Derby City Council Mayor Cllr Frank Harwood and CEO Carole Mills held a naming ceremony in the presence of guests with various associations with Alice Wheeldon: residents of her locality of Pear Tree Road, Normanton in Derby; the Derby People’s History Group (including WILPF member Brenda Armitage); historian Dr Nicholas Hiley; archivist for the Peace Pledge Union Bill Hetherington; her descendants and descendants of her friends who lent their support throughout the ordeal of imprisonment and persecution.
Alice’s great granddaughter Chloë Mason said: ‘Alice Wheeldon’s strongest characteristic was probably compassion. She had courage to speak up about issues of concern for her, and these issues continue to matter today. Here at the Council House people can gather for enjoyment and discussion in this public meeting room, aptly named, and one that is accessible to all.’
Carole Mills added that the room dedication follows on the heels of recent recognition of Alice’s contribution to the city: a Blue Plaque was installed at her former home in Normanton and last year she was awarded a star in Derby’s Walk of Fame. There is now a history trail known as the Alice Walk, which takes in many important locations from her time in the city.
Melodeon-player Mel Biggs played out the guests to take part in an Alice Walk. Mel is part of Moirai, a local Derby trio who have just started touring a new folk music and song show Framed: The Alice Wheeldon Story. As Moirai say, it’s a way to discover this 100-year-old tale of fake news, family values and activism which is oh so relevant in today's turbulent modern world. http://www.moiraitrio.co.uk/
