Alice Wheeldon (source unknown)

Women Resist War

As the centenary of the 1914 – 1918 war continues, a fascinating night is in store in South Terrace with talks on women who resisted the First World War. John Enefer writes.

Local historian, Ann Kramer will speak about the No-conscription Fellowship which, as the name suggests, campaigned against conscription and supported conscientious objectors during the war.

Artist and Peace News co-editor, Emily Johns will talk about Alice Wheeldon, a Suffragette around the time of the First World War. She supported men who refused to fight in the conflict. Ultimately Wheeldon, a committed pacifist, was imprisoned for the unlikely offence of trying to poison prime minister Lloyd George. Many people regard her case as a Government conspiracy and, with the support of a history group and a number of solicitors, her great grand-daughters are trying to clear her name.

Local activist Gabriel Carlyle will speak about a peace mission Emily Hobhouse, an English welfare campaigner, made to Berlin. Also he’ll talk about the efforts to end the war undertaken by Rozsika Schwimmer, who sailed to the US in 1914 and spoke with US President Woodrow Wilson.

The event is organised by Hastings Against War and will take place on Tuesday 2 May at 7.00pm at the Quaker Meeting House, South Terrace, Hastings. All are welcome. The venue is wheelchair accessible. The event is free.

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