alice ann marshall was born in derby, england, the daughter of an engine driver who had worked as a house servant when young. in 1886 she married william augustus wheeldon, who was a widowed train driver and later a commercial traveller. they had three daughters, nellie (born 1888), harriette ann (hettie) (born 1891) and winnie (born 1893), and a son, william marshall (willie, born 1892). willie's application for exemption from military service as a conscientious objector was rejected in 1916.