Description
Object description
British civilian absolutist conscientious objector in GB, 1939-1945, including periods of imprisonment in Brixton and Wandsworth Prisons, London, 1941-1942
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1918-1939: family background in London and Southend; early pacifist influences including father's work at Ragged Schools in Shadwell and Stepney; religious influences; story of elder brother founding pacifist Cliffdown Congregational Church in Southend, mid-1930s; description of religious and humanitarian pacifist beliefs; attitude to vegetarianism and Esperanto; first contacts with Quakers during 1930s; description of employment with Local Authority Town Planning Department in Southend; influences on pacifism including Dr. Tom Foinette, ancient wisdom and Bible; attitude to role of established church in peace and war; connections with Peace Pledge Union; attitude to members of Peace Pledge Union leaving organisation.
REEL 2 Continues: description of preparations for Tribunal including mock Tribunal; importance of support from other pacifists; reason for decision to register as conscientious objector; opinion of Gandhi; links with the League of Nations Union; attitude to stance of British Government; activities with Oxford Movement; sings Oxford Movement song 'The Wise Old Horsey'; development of the anti-war movement; attitude to Spanish Civil War and concept of a 'just war'; awareness of Hitler's moves in Europe. Aspects of period in GB, 1939-1941: story of being sacked by Southend Corporation with five other conscientious objectors on outbreak of war, 9/1939; story of 'Peace News' blacklisting local authorities who sacked conscientious objectors; reason for giving up ARP duties in office; description of absolutist stance; definition of terms pacifist and conscientious objector; attitude to some conscientious objectors obtaining conditional discharge on religious grounds; question of compromising absolutist stance to obtain better treatment; story of receiving no benefits at end of war.
REEL 3 Continues: registration as a conscientious objector; description of first Tribunal in Fulham, 4/Sep/1939; reaction to not being granted unconditional exemption; problem of judging matters of conscience; story of brother obtaining unconditional discharge; description of land drainage work with Society of Friends in Abingdon, Berkshire; story of appeal Tribunal and verdict; description of voluntary work in East End of London; story of second Tribunal and further appeal resulting in being put on Military Register; description of work with Pacifist Cycle Unit; examples of hostility shown toward conscientious objectors; story of call up and arrest; taken to Brixton Prison on remand; story of being refused medical examination; description of court appearance and sentence of 12 months hard labour. Aspects of period in Brixton and Wandsworth Prisons, London, 1941-1942: first impressions of Brixton Prison; story of contracting scabies and other skin disease; description of experiences in Wandsworth Prison hospital and initial procedure at Brixton Prison; attitude to not being allowed to continue with voluntary work in East End.
REEL 4 Continues: description of living conditions and daily life in Brixton Prison including other inmates, food, access to books, freedom of movement and exercise; effect of air raid policy on prisoners; description of living conditions and daily life in Wandsworth Prison including initial procedure, personal property, attitude of warders, food, accommodation, and exercise; story of mystical experience while in Wandsworth Prison; religious services; sanitary arrangements; description of work in mailbag room; relations with prison warders; attitude to prison regime and conditions; relations with other prisoners including conscientious objectors; description of exercise system and communication with other prisoners; memories of German aliens in Brixton Prison; attitude of other prisoners to conscientious objectors; story of prisoner being whipped with 'the cat'.
REEL 5 Continues: attitude of prison staff to conscientious objectors; method of lodging complaints; attitude of Prison Governor at Wandsworth to complaints; opinion of medical care and facilities; attitude to treatment of Frank Parnell; communication within prisons and with outside world; visiting system; opinion of prison chaplain; attitude to being in prison; story of homosexual approach while in Wandsworth Prison; story of 12 month sentence being reduced to 3 months; reaction to being released without advance notice; returned to voluntary social relief work in Poplar. Aspects of period in London, GB, 1942-1945: description of social relief work in East End of London during war including work with young children, drainage work with Friends Service Unit, and shelter work in Shadwell and Stepney.
REEL 6 Continues: further comments on work in East End including crypt shelters in churches; story of direct hit on crypt shelter; exclusion of Friends Service Unit from shelter care work by local authority; story of meeting future wife during air raid; attitude of East End population towards conscientious objectors; description of further social relief work in London including teaching; story of near miss with V1; attitude to Germans as the 'enemy'; comparison of treatment of conscientious objectors during First and Second World Wars. Aspects of post-war life in London, GB: involvement with current peace movement (1986); attitude to nuclear weapons; opinion of contribution of conscientious objectors in First and Second World Wars to cause of peace.
