Albert Hey

Oldham Tribunal 17 April 1918
Reported Oldham Standard 18 April 1918

The Oldham Tribunal had a conscientious objector before them at their sitting on Wednesday afternoon. He was Albert Hey. His age was given as 18 and he was described as a plumber and engineer's apprentice.

The youth wrote that he had been trained to regard war as wrong and it was contrary to his conscience, beliefs and convictions. He considered it would be "a national waste" to put him in the army but he was prepared to undertake farm work.

The minister of the chapel which the youth attended wrote that his convictions were sincere and that he acted as secretary to a Sunday school. He was a young man of very fine character.

Asked whether he had been medically examined, he replied in the negative and said that he must refuse to be examined on account of his conviction.

The Chairman: (Alderman Greaves) Why?
The youth: Because it would be the first step towards making me a soldier.
The Chairman: It might be the first step towards keeping you out of the Army.
The youth: I must refuse to be examined.
The Chairman: Don't be foolish boy. You go and be examined.
Councillor Schofield: It's not a military examination, it's a medical examination.
Councillor Frith: It's before civilian doctors.
The youth: I can't help that. I must refuse.
The Chairman: If you refuse to be examined we must regard you as being in Grade 1 and that is all against you.
The Youth: I must still refuse.

The appeal was disallowed so the youth will now be called up for combatant service.

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Manchester Appeal Tribunal 2 May 1918
Reported Oldham Chronicle 3 May 1918

Albert Hey of Moorside, a conscientious objector, came before the Appeal Tribunal at Manchester on Thursday to appeal against a decision of the Oldham Tribunal that he had not made out a case for exemption.

When before the Oldham Tribunal he had refused to be examined by a medical board, saying that was the first step towards military service. War, he wrote in his appeal was wrong and contrary to his religious beliefs. He was willing to undertake farm work if it was thought necessary. He did not see the relevancy of the remarks of the chairman when he was before the Oldham Tribunal on his action on refusing to be medically examined. He could not allow even the chairman to be the keeper of his conscience.

Mr Keane: Have you ever thought where military service ends and begins? It begins with anything to feed and clothe the soldiers.
- I am willing to work for food.

The Appeal Tribunal decided that Hey must go for non-combatant service.
Hey spoke of a letter from Rev John Hunt concerning the sincerity of his convictions and Judge Mellor remarked that it was a good testimonial; but for it, he might have been sent to military service.

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Oldham Magistrates' Court 20 May 1918
Reported Oldham Chronicle 20 May 1918

Albert Hey (18) of Sholver Hey Farm, Moorside was brought before the Oldham magistrates this (Monday) morning as an absentee under the Reserve Forces Act 1882. Called up for service he should have reported to the military authority on May 9. He said in reply to the charge, "I don't admit to being an absentee; I am a conscientious objector."
Mr Mullin: You are a conscientious coward you mean.
- No, a conscientious objector.
The Chief Constable said Hey's objection was withdrawn on May 3 and he was warned to report on May 9.
Another notice was sent to him on May 14.

Hey was fined 40s and handed over to the military authority.

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

He was enlisted at Ashton under Lyne Barracks and on 22 May 1918 posted to Park Hall Camp, Oswestry in the 5 Western Non-Combatant Corps.
He was court martialled at Oswestry on 27 May, sentenced to 6 months with hard labour and sent to Wormwood Scrubs.
On 18 July 1918 he accepted work under the Home Office scheme and was sent to Dartmoor Work Centre.

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Born Oldham, 10 April 1900
Died Oldham, 1 August 1966
Address: Lower Hill Top Cottage, Grains Road, Delph, Saddleworth

1911 Census :
Sholver Hey Farm, Moorside, Oldham
Single, age 10, with parents an older sister and 3 younger brothers.
Occ: at school

1939 register :
173 Ripponden-road, Oldham
with wife Lily and possibly 3 children
Master plumber, glazier and sanitary engineer.

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley