PM murder plot woman cleared

For almost a century, she's been vilified as a traitor. But today, Alice Wheeldon's home city took a first significant step to putting the record straight.

In 1917 Alice, a peace activist, was wrongly accused of plotting to murder the Prime Minister and sent to prison.

Now a blue plaque has been unveiled in her honour. Peter Bearne reports.

Derby City Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa met Alice Wheeldon's great-granddaughters Chloe and Deirdre Mason at the unveiling of their ancestor's plaque.

Alice Wheeldon's great-granddaughters Chloe and Deirdre Mason were "excited" about see the unveiling of their ancestor's plaque.

They said it was a "tremendous symbol of a big recognition of a woman who made a big contribution to Derby and stood up for her beliefs."

Alice Wheeldon's great-granddaughters, Chloe and Deirdre Mason, have travelled all the way from Australia to see the plaque honouring their great grandmother officially unveiled.

They say it is a significant step in their campaign to clear Alice's name.

The city of Derby is today taking a first step towards rehabilitating a woman vilified for almost a century for plotting to murder the Prime Minister.

The city council will today unveil a blue plaque in honour of peace activist Alice Wheeldon.

Alice, a 50-year-old shopkeeper who lived in Pear Tree Road, was found guilty of planning to poison David Lloyd George in 1917.

Sentenced to 10 years, she was released after nine months due to ill-health from hunger strikes.

But she never recovered fully and died in 1919.

Her family and supporters believe the Government framed her because of her radical anti-war beliefs and support for conscientious objectors during World War One.