Not A BRHG Event
A 30 minute documentary telling the stories of some of those who defied the call to arms in World War One. The bravery, hardship, sacrifice and sorrow of the combatants in WW1 are rightly remembered during the centenary. The impact on families and communities at home is also coming alive in re-discovered personal stories and many centenary projects and events. There has been less attention to those who refused the call to arms and the consequences they had to face. The challenge presented by […]
Not A BRHG Event
A showing of one of the Emmerdale 1918 series which looks at the experiences of Yorkshire conscientious objector Alfred Martlew. Cyril Pearce, who is the expert in this documentary, will be there to speak about the programme and answer any questions.
Not A BRHG Event
‘Degrees of Conscience’ (Catharina Clement) The story of three tribunals, Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham in North Kent, and how they treated their conscientious objectors. Rochester, despite its Conservative and ex-military mayor, was very tolerant of the conscientious objectors and granted most of them exemption. Chatham and Gillingham on the other hand had Liberal mayors, but were much harsher towards their conscientious objectors. This talk will discuss why there was this huge difference […]
Not A BRHG Event
‘So British Mormons were also Conscientious Objectors in WWI?’ There were four British Latter Day Saint conscientious objectors (COs) in World War I, three Mormon (LDS), and one Reorganised LDS (RLDS) - now known as Community of Christ. They were among 20,000 COs in the UK, and little known compared with Quaker or socialist COs. They also suffered hostility from neighbours and workmates. Unlike Quakers, Latter Days Saints were violent in their early history, although Community of Christ later […]
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
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, […]
Over 580 men from the Bristol area refused to fight in World War 1. They claimed the status of conscientious objector (CO) for moral, religious or political reasons. Some agreed to take non-military roles while others spent much of the war in prison, often under harsh conditions. This booklet and the exhibition on which it is based tell the story of these COs and the men and women who supported them. It also briefly considers COs in World War 2 as well as the position for present day members of […]
