‘Refusing To Kill’

From Saturday September 9th, the Remembering The Real World War 1 group are presenting an exhibition ‘Refusing To Kill – Bristol’s World War 1 Conscientious Objectors‘ in Bristol Cathedral on College Green. The exhibition will run until early January.

Over 350 men from the Bristol area refused to fight in World War 1. They claimed the status of conscientious objector for moral, religious or political reasons. Some agreed to take non-military roles. Others spent much of the war in prison, often under harsh conditions.

A largely untold part of Bristol’s World War 1 history – this exhibition tells the stories of these men and the people in the city who supported them. Rarely seen documents will be displayed together with photographs, letters from COs and artefacts.

The exhibition will look at Why Conscription Was Introduced; What was a CO; Attitudes to COs – from government, churches, military, public; Local Networks Of Support; and the Long Term Effect of WW1 COs up to present day.

You can help publicise the exhibition by liking/sharing the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RefusingtoKillBristolWW1COs/

There are printed flyers. If you know of anywhere they can be used please email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com

For Cathedral opening times see https://bristol-cathedral.co.uk/visit-us/opening-hours/

Alongside the exhibition there will be a series of talks, drama and musical events. Details of these will be available soon.

For more information email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com