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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unanswered questions, 13 May 2009
Nicola Rippon's "The plot to kill Lloyd George" focuses on the prosecution of a number of members of Derby's Wheeldon family. Involved in anti-war activities and harbouring conscientious objectors, there were also rumours of their involvement in the June 1914 "suffragette" burning of Breadsall church. The Wheeldon's naturally attracted attention of the authorities. Even so, it came as a surprise to many in Derby in January 1917 to find them being tried on suspicion of a plot to poison David Lloyd George and others. Proceedings began initially in Derby but were soon moved to London.
Drawing upon local, newspaper and official accounts, the author follows the development of the case at court. In the atmosphere of the day, with the prosecution being led by the Attorney-General Sir Frederick Smith (later Lord Birkenhead) and the defence in the hands of the unknown Saiyid Haidan Riza (variously described at the time as "a dark-skinned Hindu" or "Persian" or "of Indian extraction"), one would not hold out great hopes for the Wheeldon's. Yet as the case unfolds, and while there is no doubt that the Wheeldon's were actively promoting socialism and helping some (who may have genuinely been conscientious objectors) to avoid military service, the evidence of plots and of murdering is clearly paper thin. Much of the discussion was centred on the provision of a quantity of poison, which the Wheeldon's maintained was for putting down some dogs.
The case became rather more intriguing and shocking when it became apparent that to some extent the family had been set up or coerced by shady characters acting for the government, particularly one Alec or Alex Gordon. The motivations and identities of these agents provocateurs were never fully explored in court, nor was the "system" that controlled them.
Despite the evidence and the set-up, family ringleader Alice Wheedon was found guilty and sentenced to ten years penal servitude. Two other members of the family were found guilty of conspiracy, being given seven and five years.
While in prison, Alice went on hunger strike, bringing about all of the arguments about force-feeding her. Lloyd George's office eventually intervened, suggesting that the Prime Minister was insistent that Alice must not die while in prison. Headlines of her death, coupled with widespread unease at the conviction, would have been political dynamite.She was released, after only nine months. Sadly, Alice died in February 1919.
This is an incredible story, and one that I had never heard of. The twists and unwrapping of the evidence in court make for fascinating reading and are well presented by the author - yet I was in some ways left unsatisfied by "The plot to kill Lloyd George". Very serious questions remain unanswered: was there a family plot at all - or was it just a government plot to discredit theh British left? Why, assuming that the family were framed by the establishment, were they selected - there were plenty of others? If the establishment meant to send them down, why was much stronger evidence not concocted? I would have liked to have seen the author, who presumably had researched the story comprehensively (although the sources quoted leave a little to be desired in terms of detail) and knows more than most about this case, make her own judgments.
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