The Suffragette Prisoners Kathleen Trott and Gertrude Ballan

Surveillance image of the Suffragette Prisoners Kathleen Trott and Gertrude Ballan. The image was taken by an undercover photographer hiding in a van in the yard of Holloway Prison as the women took exercise.
Both Kathleen and Gertrude were members of the Women's Freedom League. It is likely this image was taken in March 1914 when both were in Holloway on a charge of 'obstruction.
Kathleen and Gertrude Ballan were two of the four members of the WFL charged with obstructing the police during a picket outside Scotland Yard and the offices of the Director of Public Prosections. The picket was mounted in protest against the retention in the police force of two officer who, under oath, admitted being aware of a 'criminal' activity between a fellow policeman and a 14 year old girl. Found guilty of obstruction Kathleen, Gertrude and their fellow 'picketers' were sentenced to 14 days imprisonment.
The previous month Kathleen had been one of 7 members of the Women's Freedom League arrested and charged with obstruction during a scuffle with police in Downing Street in February. The arrests followed an attempt by the women to mount a 'raid' on Number 10 and 11 as well as ringing the bells of all buildings in Downing Street.
Scotland Yard commissioned the covert photography of militant suffragettes from 1913. The images were used to identify suffragettes attempting to enter public buildings such as museums and art galleries, where they might attempt to damage the objects.