Samuel Hamlet

Middleton Tribunal 23 March 1916
Reported Oldham Standard 24 March 1916

Several conscientious objectors appeared before the Middleton Tribunal on Thursday at which the Mayor (Alderman Wm. Wiggins) presided ...

.. Samuel Hamlet, a painter of Higher Wood Street, Middleton, objected to military service on conscientious grounds. He objected to taking life.
The Chairman: How long have you held these views?
- Before the war.
Then why did you try to attest at the Drill Hall?
- Because people said that if I didn't attest, I should not have the right of appeal. I stated to the officer that came to canvas me that I had a strong conscientious objection.
Did you strongly object to war before this war started?
- Yes, I have always held that view.
Mr Clark: You know that by attesting you place yourself in the hands of the military?
- Yes, I know.
The Mayor: Is it a fact that you waited two hours in the Drill Hall?
- Yes, but it was against my conscience.
It was not very strong.
- My conscience was as strong as it is now.
If the military authorities had been there you would have been an attested man by now?
- I should have been a victim of circumstances.
What is your religious belief?
- I am a free thinker.
Suppose you got an order to paint a military hospital or a munitions works, would you refuse?
The appellant studied and smiled but refused to answer.

Appellant was passed for non combatant service.

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The WO 363 records for Samuel Hamlet survive but are incomplete (held at The National Archives, available online via Find My Past):

19 October 1916 Posted to No 3 Company Non Combatant Corps
Service number 3077 Height 5 ft 3 ½ ins

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He has an entry on the Pearce List HERE.
The Pearce List of over 17500 WW1 Conscientious Objectors can be found on the Imperial War Museum's website HERE

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Born Middleton, 22 September 1884
Died Oldham, 11 June 1966
[Died in Oldham & District General Hospital, home address as 1939 register. Source: probate records]

1911 census
111 Higher Wood Street, Middleton
Single with parents and 4 younger siblings
Occ: House painter

1939 register
6 Wood Hill, Middleton
With wife Cissy, no children listed
Occ: Master painter and decorator

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley