In Lady on Trial we hear the voices of women from the past who ended up in court charged with everything from murder, adultery and theft to civil disobedience. And Lucy is asking if their true crime could have been to be born female. Lucy is also telling the story of the fight for legal rights for women over three centuries, and wondering what still needs to be done for women to achieve true equality under the law.

This time Lucy takes us back to the Blitz to uncover the tale of defiant protestor Connie Bolam. We think we know the women of World War II - the Land Girls, the Wrens and women of Bletchley Park - but today Lucy reveals the surprising story of the first female conscientious objector to be sent to prison, a woman who refused conscription and said ‘no’ to war. What drives Connie to an ideology that risks her freedom? And what does Connie’s story tell us about women who protest today?

To uncover this remarkable story Lucy’s joined by barrister Audrey Cherryl Mogan who defends modern-day protestors, and historian Dr Lyndsey Jenkins, an expert in the history of women’s activism. Together they piece together the tale of an unexpected rebel, and a living thread that links the women of the wartime peace movement to the women protesting global conflicts today.

Producer: Emily Hughes

Readers: Clare Corbett, Jonathan Keeble, Ruth Sillers and William Hope

Historical consultant: Dr Lyndsey Jenkins

Head of Production: Claire Myers

Sound Design: Chris Maclean

Senior Producer: Julia Hayball

Executive Producer: Kirsty Hunter

A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4

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