Not A BRHG Event
A reading of the play 'England, Arise!' a drama telling the story of Arthur Gardiner's refusal to fight in the First World War on political grounds, inspired by and drawing on Cyril Pearce's book 'Comrades In Conscience'. Performed by Mick Martin and Cyril Pearce and followed by a Q&A with writer/director Mick Martin (www.bentarchitect.co.uk) and Cyril Pearce.
Not A BRHG Event
War tax resisters Robin Brookes and Diana Warner talk about their campaign, with Lois Bibbings . They explain that we all pay for war through our taxes. Since 1916 conscientious objectors (COs) have had the right to refuse military service, often doing some alternative service for society such as farming or war victim relief. Citizens are no longer conscripted to fight, but are made to pay for deliberate killing through their taxes. They ask - isn't it high time that COs have the right to divert […]
Not A BRHG Event
Time Stood Still: The Internment of Civilians at Lofthouse Park Camp near Wakefield, 1914-18 Claudia Sternberg talks about Lofthouse Park Camp which held nearly 3,000 German and Austrian-Hungarian civilian and military prisoners during the First World War and was in use until the last officers left Yorkshire in December 1919. This talk focuses on the experience of the civilian internees and shares some of the official and personal stories that were brought to light in the collaborative British […]
Not A BRHG Event
Researching Conscientious Objectors with Valerie Flessati and Cyril Pearce This session with Cyril Pearce will be an opportunity for anyone who has been researching or telling the story of the First World War resisters, locally or internationally, to share their discoveries. As the First World War centenary draws to a close this is an opportunity to ‘join up the dots’ between CO projects across the UK, and further afield, and to look at the ‘big picture’. Valerie and Cyril will also look forward […]
This book launch will include talks by some of the authors and time for questions and answers. Both booklets will be available to buy at the festival. Refusing to Kill: Bristol's World War I Conscientious Objectors by Remembering the Real World War 1 Lois Bibbings, Jeremy Clarke, Mary Dobbing, Colin Thomas This A4 colour booklet reflects the work of a community history project undertaken by Remembering the Real World War 1, with support from researchers around the country as well as descendants […]
Not A BRHG Event
Being a CO in Burton-on-Trent Karen Hunt speaks about the Mid Staffordshire Appeals Tribunal and what the records reveal about life on the Staffordshire home front. Amongst the Appeals papers were a group of men from Burton-on-Trent who refused to take part in the Great War either as combatants or non-combatants. Their unequivocal stand as COs led to court martials and imprisonment. Karen explores the particular local home front from which this small group of brave men emerged and the political, […]
Not A BRHG Event
Alison Ronan presents two films she has worked on and will be at the screenings to speak about them and answer questions. These Dangerous Women Documentary about the women who tried to stop World War 1. In 1915 1300 women from warring and neutral nations got together in the Hague to find a way towards peace. (24 minutes) Women's Peace Crusade The Women's Peace Crusade swept like wildfire across Britain from 1916 -1918. This film tells the story of the North West women who took part in […]
Not A BRHG Event
Tony T presents his documentary 'Mutiny' which looks at the British Caribbean experience of the First World War and its legacies, as revealed by the last surviving veterans of the British West Indies Regiment. The film is formed of archival materials, drama reconstructions and eye-witness and expert interviews shot in Jamaica, Cuba, Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia, Italy and the UK. (50 minutes). Tony T of Sweet Patootee (who conceived, researched, wrote and produced the film) and Julian Putkowski […]
Not A BRHG Event
Mic Dixon (Director), with Aly Renwick (Veteran’s for Peace), presents his film War School about the battle for the hearts and minds of Britain’s children (82 minutes). Set against the backdrop of Remembrance the controversial and challenging documentary reveals how, faced with unprecedented opposition to its wars, the British government is using a series of new and targeted strategies to promote support for the military. Armed Forces Day, Uniform to Work Day, Camo Day, National Heroes Day - in […]
Not A BRHG Event
Making It Home Mark Rhead presents his film 'Making it Home' (67 minutes) and a photographic exhibition made in partnership with the Bellanaleck Local History Group. Making it Home is the story of eleven ex-servicemen who returned from the Great War to live and farm on Cleenish Island in Upper Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. A small exhibition of photographs of these ‘homes for heroes’ accompanies this screening. Mark Rhead will be at the screening to speak about the film, his […]
