BOADICEA AND LILLIE BOILEAU

​The next entry is for Boadicea, an apt alias given on arrest, designed no doubt to infuriate the police. The person’s real name is Lilian Dove Willcox.

Lilian was, one of two released prisoners, feted at a reception at Violet Bland’s house in Bristol. Lilian is discussed in a latter blog.

The next name is Lillie Boileau, who was arrested twice.

Lillie Maud Boileau was born, circa 1870, in Purayh, India to Neil, retired army major general  and Mary.  Lillie was the second of four daughters. Her father died in 1895 and the family settled in England.

Lillie was one of five women charged with obstruction in respect of a picket outside 10 Downing Street. The others were Mrs Cranston, Charlotte Despard, Mrs Cobden Sanderson and Mrs Hicks. Members of the Women’s Freedom League, the women had been taking it in turns to man the picket, usually in pairs. Lillie attempted to present a petition to Asquith, who replied: “Don’t be so silly.” The size of the picket grew, ensuring that Asquith would have to face them whichever way he chose to leave Number 10. At that point, the police attempted to move the women on. On their refusal, two were arrested. Charlotte Despard protested, and as she and Mrs Cobden tried to take the others place, they too were arrested along with the others on the picket.

At their first appearance in court, the women stated that they were going to claim damages from the police. On the understanding that they would stay away from Downing Street, the case was adjourned for a week. In the meantime, the women rallied support. On 26 August, they organised a meeting at Caxton Hall, where all the women addressed the assembled company, explaining their belief, based on the Bill of Rights, that all citizens regardless of sex had the right to petition the government.

When the case reconvened, a week later, the women were represented by Timothy Healy, an Irish Nationalist MP, barrister.  The defence stated that the women had a constitutional right to present a petition; the prosecution that the document was not prepared in the correct way to conform legally to a petition. However, the police admitted they had not examined the document. The women had been charged with obstructing the police in their duty. While it was argued, what they had actually been doing was, potentially, obstructing the pavement for which they were not charged. After hearing the evidence, the case was adjourned for a further week, when despite the apparent flaw in the charges, the women were found guilty and fined 40 shillings or seven days in prison.

The women, however, were granted the right to appeal. A letter appeared in several newspapers signed by Charlotte Despard, Mrs Cobden Sanderson and Mrs Hicks explaining the appeal and asking for donations to pay for it. It was an appeal they were to lose. Lillie, amongst others, travelled to Wales to promote the cause. They were met with fierce opposition by some. In Newtown, they were refused lodgings and were, eventually, taken in by a member of the WSPU for the night. An attempt to hold an open-air meeting was met with a crowd determined to prevent it from happening, and the women had to take refuge in a shop. In meetings behind closed doors, the rooms were packed and support unanimous, but outside it continued to be a different story.

While in Wales, Lillie gave an interview to the Montgomeryshire Express and Radnor Times. She described the campaign in Wales as broadly successful, particularly in Newton where they had encountered the most opposition, but, also, received the greatest support. In one town, small boys pushed up against Lillie pummelling her with their fists. She pushed one boy away. His mother shouted that she would bash Lillie’s head in. The women abandoned their plans and walked to the railway station. The angry crowd followed, but with the help of station staff, they safely boarded the train. The mother had followed and informed Lillie that she had a dog whip which she was keen to use. It is not clear from the records if Lillie went to prison or paid the fine after the appeal was lost.

Alongside her suffragette activities, Lillie was a member of the Union of Ethical Societies which promoted living within ethical boundaries, encouraging people to live in a way that supported others and thus to a better world. The union supported areas such as women’s suffrage, penal reform and assistance for the poor. After Lillie's death, she was described as “one of its most intelligent, loyal and sympathetic collaborators.”

Lillie was arrested again in November 1913. Following a meeting at Caxton Hall, addressed by Charlotte Despard who called for women agitators to have the same rights as male agitators, four of the women attendees drove to Downing Street to present a resolution to this effect. The remainder walked to St James’s Park, gathering on the steps between Downing Street and Horse Guards Parade. Miss Murray began to address the crowd and was immediately arrested for obstruction. Three more arrests followed, including Lillie. All three were charged with obstruction. They were released on bail with surety being paid by Charlotte Despard.

At the subsequent hearing, the evidence was that by standing where they had a public pathway had been blocked. Lillie was fined £5 and bound over to keep the peace for six months. Lillie refused. She was held until the end of the hearing and then released unconditionally.

Lillie was back in court, a week later, as a witness for two of the other accused women, Miss Boyle and Miss Murray, as their hearing had been adjourned. Unsurprisingly, both women were found guilty, like Lillie they refused to pay the fine or agree to keep the peace. They were imprisoned in the alternate for one day.

Lillie continued to be involved in the Union of Ethical Studies and campaigned for a variety of  other causes.

​She died in 1930.