Description
Object description
British civilian conscientious objectors in Sussex and London, GB, 1935-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Recollections of period in GB, 1935-1945: Peter Pirie (PP): family background in Sussex; attitude to family's involvement with British Union of Fascists; political beliefs and support for Labour Party; story of being abused by drunken soldiers on Armistice Day; attitude to pacifism. Mildred Pirie (MP): family background in Streatham, London; religious and political beliefs; effect of Christian upbringing on pacifist beliefs; baptised as adult; Christian attitude to war; contacts with Quaker community; story of refusing to participate in evacuation of children prior to outbreak of war; reason for refusing to teach pupils gas mask drill; story of joining Peace Pledge Union, 1936; role as secretary with Streatham branch of Peace Pledge Union, including support for conscientious objectors. (PP): story of joining Peace Pledge Union in Norwood, London, 1939; opinion of Dick Sheppard; attended Fellowship of Reconciliation meetings. (MP): comparison of Peace Pledge Union and Fellowship of Reconciliation; role with War Assistance International helping Jewish refugees escaping from Europe; attitude to Hitler; opinion of slow response to Nazi persecution of Jews; reaction to Munich Crisis and appeasement policy, 1938; opinion of League of Nations; question of defeating Hitler by legal methods and not through war; attitude to arms sales; story of signing Peace Ballot, 1934; reaction to sisters joining Communist Party. (PP): political beliefs; opinion of British policy towards Germany and Soviet Union; question of support for Hitler in GB; opinion of Chamberlain and appeasement policy; attitude to nuclear weapons.
REEL 2 Continues: pacifist and philosophical beliefs; story of Tribunals in London and refusing to join Non-Combatant Corps; story of being sent to Wandsworth Prison after refusing to have medical examination; amusing story about medical examination in Wandsworth Prison; description of conditions in prison; attitude to war; activities with Labour Party. (MP): question of young people in 1930s not being as well informed as now; attitude to pacifism and use of force. (PP): question of politicians being primarily responsible for war. (MP): attitude to outcome of Second World War. (PP): description of work with Night Rescue organisation following release from Wandsworth Prison; reflections on outcome of Second World War and post-war period. (MP): question of social advances coming sooner without war.