Haydn Greaves

Royton Tribunal 18 March 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 20 March 1916

The first batch of conscientious objectors to appeal before the Royton Recruiting Tribunal had an afternoon out of Saturday. There were six of them [William Albinson, David Powell, Arthur Marland, Haydn, Hubert and Stanley Greaves] but they brought a numerous and noisy following of young men and women who, to say the least of it, showed little respect to the members of the tribunal.

The supporters hailed from Oldham, Rochdale and Shaw and it was early evident that they would not remain quiet during the proceedings. Whilst waiting outside for their turn, the applicants were being coached and advised what to say and the public frequently passed remarks during the hearing of the cases in addition to applauding. All appealed for absolute exemption but in each case the application was disallowed and notice of appeal was given ….

…. Haydn Greaves (27 years) works as a minder at the Dawn Spinning Co., Shaw. He appealed on two grounds, conscientious and domestic. He could not take life, as he stood for the brotherhood of man and was out to bring people together not by force of arms but by peaceful methods. No man but himself could determine his conscience. On domestic grounds, he was the oldest of three brothers all of military age and they had a widowed mother. If he had to go, he contested, the home would be ruined.

It was pointed out to the applicant that he was practically in a certified occupation but he said he had not been told so yet. He did not appear to have very strong conscientious grounds but said he wished the conscientious claim to be considered in preference to the domestic one. He said he believed in international faith by peace methods.

Councillor Barton: International faith does not seem to be realisable judging by the results of The Hague conferences.
The Chairman: What would be your action if someone attempted to take your life?
- I don't believe in taking life.
He was a member of the I.L.P. and the No-Conscription Fellowship.
The Military Representative: Would you help a wounded soldier if he required assistance?
- I would help him but not to take life again.
If you were attacked would you defend yourself?
- I would defend myself but would not kill.

The claim was disallowed on conscientious grounds but on the personal appeal he was put back a month pending the official word being received of the reserving of minders and piecers.

At this stage the Chairman asked a member of the audience to remove his hat but he retorted that he was not in a Sunday school.
The Chairman: You are in a public room and there are ladies present.
The man then unwillingly removed his hat.

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Manchester Appeal Tribunal 17 April 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 21 April 1916

Six Men from Royton …. who desired exemption from military service came before the Appeals Tribunal on Monday…. Sir William Cobbett presided.

…. Stanley, Haydn and Hubert Greaves, three brothers, asked for absolute exemption from service. Stanley said that he was an advocate for peace and he did not think peace could be brought about by the use of armed force.
Chairman: To what denomination do you belong?
- The No-Conscription Fellowship.
Chairman: We cannot call that a religion.

Hubert Greaves preferred to stand before the tribunal rather than sit and, in reply to the chairman, he said that he belonged to the No-Conscription Fellowship but his religion was that of a Socialist.
Chairman: I don't know if that is a religion.
Hubert asked why should men rush at one another's throats like dogs. Why should they quarrel and fight? It was all utterly ridiculous. He refused to do murder.
The military representative asked him if he had not told a canvasser that the reason he did not join the army was because the pay was insufficient?
- Yes.

Haydn said that his objection to service was similar to that put forward by his brothers. He would work for nothing but peace. That was his aim, never mind what the military authorities said. He emphasised his objection - it could scarcely be called an argument - by thumping the table. Peace would not be attained by force of arms but by peaceful methods.
Military representative: How long have you held these views? Are they not the views of two or three weeks?
- No, I have held them for years.
Did you tell the canvasser who came to your house that the pay was not sufficient?
- Yes, just to put him off.

This and the appeals of the other two brothers were dismissed.

Haydn Greaves: I want to know the reason why you have dismissed my conscience claim?
Chairman: Because we do not think you have a conscience claim.
Greaves: Shall I pull my conscience out and put it on the table before you will believe me?
Military representative: Yes, why not?

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The WO 363 records for Haydn Greaves survive (held at The National Archives, available online via Find My Past):

On 10 May 1916 at Ashton under Lyne he was enlisted in the 4th Manchester Regiment, regimental number 36016.
He was 5 ft 3 ins tall and weighed 8sts 12 lbs.

He was court martialled for refusing to sign his papers and sentenced to 6 months in prison with hard labour.
He later accepted the Home Office scheme and spent time at Wakefield and Knutsford Work Centres. He was conditionally discharged from the army to work of national importance and until 23 June 1918 was employed on a farm on the estate of Sir Walpole Greenwell in Surrey. He then moved to work in a mill in Royton. He was finally demobilised on 31 March 1920.

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Oldham Local Studies and Archives PUO/1/58 (Guardians' Minutes) 27 September 1916:

Sarah Greaves of Leach Street, Shaw - her sons Stanley and Haydn, conscientious objectors now under arrest, allege that she will be compelled to seek Poor Relief unless she receives Government assistance during their absence from home.

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He has an entry on the Pearce List.

Born Oldham, 8 August 1888
Died Amounderness, Lancashire, Mar quarter 1966

1911 census :
25 Neville Street, Shaw
Single, age 22, with widowed mother and 3 brothers, Harold, Hubert and Stanley
Occ: Cotton piecer

1939 register
5 Lilac Terrace, Preston
With wife May and son Clifford
Occ: Poultry salesman

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley