Lilian Borovikovsky and others

Ivy Bon was arrested on May 23rd 1914 and June 3rd 1914. She is also recorded as unknown. Her first arrest was for breaking windows in Grosvenor Square, found guilty she was sentenced to two months imprisonment. Force fed she was released under the Cat and Mouse Act.
Only just released from prison Ivy was arrested for attacking two pictures at the Dore Galleries: Love Wounded by Bartolozzi and a drawing of the Grand Canal in Venice by John Chapland.  The manager grabbed her to prevent any further damage but Ivy put up a struggle until the police arrived. Appearing in court Ivy who refused to give her address had declared in a letter that she left at the Galleries that she was prepared to die for the cause, this was now a war. The case was adjourned.
At her trial Ivy continuously screamed “Torturers, murderers!” “I will do it again and again until we get justice.” She was sentenced to six months in prison. With the outbreak of the First World War Ivy would have been released under the government pardon. Nothing else has been found out as to who Ivy was as the name does appear to be an alias as was believed at the time.
The next two entries are Richard and Alfred Bond arrested on October 19th 1908. The event at which they were arrested had been well advertised beforehand. The WSPU had hired a steam launch decorating it with banners and flags and for a whole afternoon it sailed up and down the Thames arriving at Putney during a well-attended sculling competition. Hand bills had been handed out on numerous street corners. The event in question was the intention of a delegation to obtain access to the Houses of Parliament.  Its high profile advertising meant that the authorities were aware of the women’s intention giving them plenty of time to prepare a response. Mrs Pankhurst was invited to discuss the situation with the authorities but instead hosted a meeting to further rally support.
On the evening of October 18th the streets between Trafalgar Square and the Houses of Parliament were heaving with police some mounted. The numbers differ from each newspaper report but the police admitted to five thousand men. A cordon was placed around Parliament and the crowds were swept back at every attempt to move closer. At Trafalgar Square where many had gathered the mounted police climbed the steps preventing the crowd from progressing towards their intended destination. A deputation left from Caxton Hall but they too were turned back.
May Billington was one of those arrested alongside Richard and Alfred. Whilst the Votes for Women Newspaper dated October 15th 1908 gives small biographies on most of the women arrested at the end it simply states “and twelve men.”  Both of the men were charged with obstruction, found guilty they were bound over to keep the peace. No biographical information is given which would shed some light on their motives. It seems though from the press coverage that the event was also attended by people with other gripes such as unemployment so that possibly might explain their involvement.
The next entry is also a man called James Booty arrested on July 27 1913. A demonstration took place in Trafalgar Square, again with the aim of marching to the Houses of Parliament to present a petition. Sylvia Pankhurst led the crowd and was arrested alongside twelve women and eleven men, one of whom was James. He was alleged to have grabbed a policeman by the throat and struck another. He was fined 40 shillings or a month imprisonment. His response when arrested was to state “I must have gone mad.” The magistrate observed that many respectable people appeared to have been swept up in the moment.
Lilian Borovikovsky, known as Lilly, was arrested on February 19th 1909. She was born Lilian Bertha Dora Prust on August 30th 1880 to Christopher and Louisa. Her father, a vaccination officer, died in 1882 leaving her widowed mother with two daughters aged one and three. Louisa remarried in 1902, Charles Teague, a Cheltenham musician who played the organ at the local family church and was a well renowned cellist. Lilian’s sister Emily married and moved to Finland although she returned to live in Cheltenham in the early 1920s. Lilian married Sergi Alexandrovitch Borovikovsky in June 1902, the groom was described as of the Russian Finance Office in Petersburg. Lilian met Sergi through her cousin Helen who was firstly married to a Russian called Chrouschoff. Just prior to the ceremony Lilian was baptised into the Church of England. The ceremony was followed by a Russian service at the Russian Embassy in London. Two years later Lilian gave birth to a son Sergei. In 1905 her husband was appointed to a commission on press censoring by the Czar, embroiled in the Russian crisis it appears that Lilian returned to Cheltenham to give birth to her son and never returned.
 As a child Lilian appears to have attended Cheltenham Ladies College and attended their annual reunions. She became a member of the Women’s Freedom League and was elected to the committee in January 1909 at a meeting held at the Cheltenham Vegetarian Hotel.
Lilian was part of a delegation led by Charlotte Despard who attempted to deliver a petition to the Houses of Parliament. They were met by a not inconsiderable police presence including some on horseback. She was arrested and charged with obstruction. Found guilty she was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment of which she served two weeks released due to failing health.
After her release the Women’s Freedom League hosted a reception to welcome her home themed as an American Tea Party and sale. Lilian was clear that she would be more than happy to take part in another demonstration as she now felt more “suffragettish”, on this basis she encouraged all at the gathering to accompany her next time. Lilian was presented with the Holloway badge given to all women who served time in the prison and a copy of the Awakening of Women by Mrs Swiney.  All the proceeds were donated to the Despard Prisoners Fund.
Lilian continued to involved with the Women’s Freedom League becoming the Cheltenham Branch Honorary Secretary. During the First World War Lilian trained with the Red Cross.
Lilian died on May 25th 1926, a patient of Gloucester Mental Hospital.