Description
Object description
British civilian absolutist religious conscientious objector in Blackburn, GB, 1942; inmate in Strangeways Prison, Manchester, GB, 7/1942; worked for Central Board of Conscientious Objectors in Blackburn, GB, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as child and civilian in Blackburn, GB, 1919-1942: family and childhood; parent's political activities; parent's aid for conscientious objectors during First World War; second hand story of death of conscientious objector due to treatment received during First World War; pacifist outlook of Spiritualist Church; reaction to one of Spiritualist Church leaders joining armed forces, 1939; influence of spiritual instruction by Nora Bancroft; basis of pacifist beliefs; story of later attendance of Hillcroft Women's College in Surbiton, 1955-1956; employment, 1934; cure for kidney complaint; mother's refusal to let her participate in Empire Day.
REEL 2 Continues: hearing of Peace Pledge Union and signing pledge; memories of Dick Sheppard and Fenner Brockway; attending Peace Pledge Union meetings; reasons for members leaving Peace Pledge Union; her husband's ambivalent attitude towards war; work for Central Board of Conscientious Objectors after release from 1942; experiences as Spiritualist medium for drowning submariner from HMS Thetis, 6/1939; brother Ronald Derbyshire's exemption from military service by tribunal; question of changes in tribunals' leniency as war progressed; family conflict over pacifism.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as conscientious objector in Blackburn, GB, 1942: registering as conscientious objector to industrial conscription; atmosphere and procedure at tribunal in Blackburn; efforts to induce her to pay fine; sentencing at appearance at Sessions House, 2/7/1942; visit by mother to cells in Sessions House, 2/7/1942; attitude towards prospect of imprisonment. Aspects of period as inmate in Strangeways Prison, Manchester, GB, 7/1942: reception and processing; behaviour of warders; first meal; medical examination; clothing issue; description of prison and cell; attempting to obtain personal requisites; difficulty obtaining vegetarian diet.
REEL 4 Continues: daily prison rations; ablution facilities and bathing; personal morale; reaction of prisoners to German Air Force raids; method of keeping track of time; inadequacies of prison hygiene; attitude towards period in prison; attitude of prison doctor and warder towards vegetarianism; kindness of prison matron; work in prison hospital; meeting with Quaker prison visitor George Sutherland; attending Quaker service in male wing of prison; memories of Dr Cedric Vipont Brown, Edgar Upperton, Stanley Iveson and Fred Barton.
REEL 5 Continues: importance of attending Quaker service; description of prison hospital and patients; attitude of prisoners towards imprisonment; psychological state in prison during and long effects of imprisonment; prison work sewing mail bags; crude behaviour of prisoners; question of inhumanity of prison life; reception and celebrations on release. Aspects of period as conscientious objector in Blackburn, GB, 1942-1945: attending second tribunal, 11/1942; mother's outburst during second tribunal, 11/1942.
REEL 6 Continues: tribunal's reluctant granting of unconditional exemption. Aspects of period as civilian with Central Board of Conscientious Objectors in Blackburn, GB, 1942-1945: work supporting conscientious objectors in Lancashire; helping conscientious objector Ronald Stevenson and his mother; treatment of conscientious objectors; memories of conscientious objector Roy Walker; story of father's refusal to support false conscientious objector during First World War; differing attitudes of people towards her conscientious objector stance; receiving white feather; importance of emotional support for conscientious objectors; voluntary work with evacuee children from London.
REEL 7 Continues: attitude towards firewatching and air raid shelters; story of dismissal from employment for refusal to wear gas mask prior to outbreak of Second World War; belief that there are no just wars; pacifist dilemma about use of force; question of situation being harder for male conscientious objectors than women; opinion of post-war warfare and peace movement; question of impact of experiences as conscientious objector on life.