Description
Object description
British civilian absolutist conscientious objector in London, GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bishops Stortford and Bushey, GB, 1916-1939: evangelical background and influence; memories of Joshua Parkin; influence of Left Book Club; parent's attitude towards pacifism; political outlook; faith in own convictions in relation to other Christians. Recollections of period as conscientious objector in GB, 1939-1945: attitude towards registering as conscientious objector; question of role of pacifist in society; attending tribunal with desire for unconditional exemption; his degree of understanding of workings of government; definition of ways of changing society.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude of Church of England towards pacifism; reaction of his friends and family towards his pacifist stance; employment as printer in early war years; sheltered family background; his religious outlook; comparison between behaviour of youths in 1930s and 1960s; reaction to manifestation of disillusionment at time of Munich Crisis, 9/1938; question of lack of knowledge of worldly matters due to early involvement in church activities.
REEL 3 Continues: initial contact with organised conscientious objection; contrast between local and appellate tribunals, 1940; nature of work of Anglian Pacifist Fellowship Service Unit during German Air Force attacks, 1940; proceedings of appellate tribunal at Ebury Bridge House in London, 10/1940; attitude towards receiving exemption; question of how far pacifism extends; relations between conscientious objectors, civil defence and general public.
REEL 4 Continues: stories illustrating erosion of social and moral restraints involving attempts to kill feral cat and violent man; level of dealing with conscientious objector issues; discussion of the Christian basis of his conscientious objection; his opinion of non-Christian conscientious objectors; further explanation of his religious beliefs; opinion of conscientious objectors' propensity for discussion; attitude towards Germans; question of patriotism and national sovereignty.
REEL 5 Continues: incident of receiving insight into his personality; work of Anglian Pacifist Fellowship with rest home for bombing victims and with canteen at St Martin-in-the-Fields; creation of Hungerford Club Air Raid Shelter; memories of Fred Copeman; description of Hungerford Club; opinion of Westminster City Council and Fred Copeman's role in creation of Hungerford Club; story of group collecting lice for London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine research programme including breeding lice on one's own body.
REEL 6 Continues: controlling lice at Hungerford Club with chemical Lethane; story of dealing with lousiest person ever recorded; types of people using the Hungerford Club; shelterer's payment for services at Hungerford Club; attitude of shelterer's towards conscientious objectors; incident of violence amongst shelterers and how Nicoll's dealt with it; attitude to handling violent situations with force.
REEL 7 Continues: attitude of some conscientious objectors to use of force; incident of non-violent response to violent young man; question of non-violent responses effectiveness; social development of some of the Hungerford Club users; clash with evangelical London Embankment Mission; effect of Second World War on personal relationships; engagement; memories of Reverend Eric Loveday; marriage, 5/1942; relations with and support of wife and parents.
REEL 8 Continues: relationship with family members; physical stress of work with Hungerford Club and resignation, 9/1943; recovering on farm; obtaining employment with Associated Press, late 1943; work running Associated Press radio monitoring station at Crystal Palace; lack of problems with conscientious objector stance whilst working for Associated Press; background to joining Church Missionary Society, 3/1945; wartime situation with Church Missionary Society; memories of General Secretary of Church Missionary Society, Max Warren; work of Church Missionary Society; attitude of some members of Church Missionary Society towards conscientious objectors; psychological state in aftermath of Second World War.