War On Lies: The Alice Wheeldon Campaign – Documentary Premier Screening

Description

Marking the birthday of Alice Wheeldon, Derby Museum presents the premier of ‘War on Lies: The Alice Wheeldon Campaign’ a new documentary by Elizabeth McGlynn.

Alice Wheeldon from Derby was convicted in 1917 for plotting to kill the Prime Minister, alongside her daughter Winnie Mason and son-in-law Alfred Mason. Years later, Chloë and Deirdre Mason are shown a documentary by their father, Peter, that exposes the miscarriage of justice suffered by the Wheeldon family. The family had been framed in a wild plot by the government, involving an agent provocateur and unjust trial, targeted due to their anti-war beliefs and for WWI propaganda against conscientious objectors. Chloë and Deirdre then launched a campaign to change the narrative of the Wheeldons, who were widely vilified in Derby and believed to be guilty, working tirelessly to shift the public opinion of their family and bring them justice.

War on Lies: The Alice Wheeldon Campaign is a retelling of the story through the lens of the people and experts who each in their own ways contributed to changing the public opinion of Alice Wheeldon and her family, and to get the story more widely known. This includes a vast number of retellings, through books, plays, songs, artworks, shows and exhibitions that all demonstrate the innocence of the Wheeldon family whilst highlighting different reasons for inspiration, and the various intentions amongst these retellings. It’s a fascinating story about resistance, injustice, determination and unity. A local hero of Derby, Alice Wheeldon is now remembered for who she truly was, a strong, feisty woman who fought for what she believed in.

About Elizabeth McGlynn:

Elizabeth McGlynn, 23 years old from Essex, recently completed an MA in Film and Television at the University of Birmingham with a distinction. War on Lies: The Alice Wheeldon Campaign is the documentary she submitted for her dissertation, whereby she was required to independently create a documentary on any topic of her choosing; her research led her to Alice Wheeldon’s story. Quickly feeling a connection to the story and all the people who had been involved in it, Elizabeth was eager to retell such a fascinating story and be a part of raising the public awareness of Alice Wheeldon and her family. Upon the completion of her Masters, Elizabeth now works as a runner in the TV and film industry, with the hopes of working her way up to assistant director or director in the future, alongside playing netball in her free time.

Presented as part of ‘History Makers: Unfolded’

Suitable for those 18 and over.

Accessibility at Derby Museums