Bird, Leonard (Oral history)

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Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
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Description

Object description

British civilian absolutist religious conscientious objector active in Peace Pledge Union in Huddersfield 1935-1942 and imprisoned in Armley Gaol, Leeds 1942-1944

Content description

REEL 1 Family background in Huddersfield. Development of pacifism. Joining Peace Pledge Union 1935. Interest in Society of Friends. Activities of Huddersfield PPU. Young and old people's view of war. Helping Jews escape from Germany. Increasing interest in Friends' activities. Anecdote illustrating attitude of church to war. Peace activities in Huddersfield. Relationship between local and central PPU. Personalities of peace movement including John Middleton Murry, Vera Brittain, Corder Catchpool and Fenner Brockway. REEL 2 Recollections about other notable personalities in peace movement. Contact with other peace organisations. Religion causing conflict in peace movement. Changing attitudes after outbreak of war. Class and pacifism. Adverse effects of stand as conscientious objector on legal career. Refusing civil defence work. 'Persecution' strengthening conviction. Kind treatment by friends in forces. Antagonising Leeds tribunal judge 1940. REEL 3 Provisional register of COs; absolutist stance. Hostile attitudes at appellate tribunal; alternative service exemption. Differing severity of tribunals. Prosecution for not complying with exemption; hard labour sentence February 1942. First day at Armley Gaol, Leeds. Anecdote about food. Losing remission for refusing war work. Deprivation of contact with family and friends and loss of freedom. Incidents illustrating softening of some harsh prison warders. REEL 4 Warders' trust in Cos. Religious activities in prison. Refusing gas mask. Sympathetic treatment by prison warder. Amusing anecdote about fire drill. An incident of brutality. Mother's and wife's support and how they coped. Financial situation; PPU paying fines. Visits and letters. Food. Getting law books into prison. Exercise. Conversation illustrating contemporary attitudes to death penalty. Air raids while in prison. Discharge October 1942; being refused former job. Refusing compulsory firewatching: fines and further prison experiences 1943-44. REEL 5 Hostile and sympathetic attitudes towards COs and families. Importance of family support. COs' sufferings and victimisation. Current involvement in peace movement. Optimism and pessimism about peace today.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Interwar (content), Second World War (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Smith, Lyn E (Recorder)
Bird, Leonard (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1981-06-12
Dimensions: whole: Duration 142, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 5120

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Bird, Leonard
Murry, John Middleton
Brittain, Vera Mary
Catchpool, Corder
Brockway, Fenner
Faith Group, Society of Friends
Pacifist Organisation, Peace Pledge Union
Prison, Armley Gaol
Associated events

31/4(41)
31/5(41)
Associated places

GB, England
Associated keywords

Pacifism

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Bird, Leonard (Oral history)

Description

Object description

Content description

Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated events

Associated places

Associated keywords

Our collections information

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