Stephen Hollis

Oldham Tribunal 9 March 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 11 March 1916

More claims for exemption from combatant service on conscientious grounds were heard before the Oldham Tribunal on Thursday afternoon and evening. The Mayor (Alderman Greaves) presided.

…. Stephen Hollis of 17 Falcon-street, a cop packer, wrote that he held human life sacred, therefore he could not engage in military service, combatant or non-combatant, because war entailed the destruction of what he held to be sacred. He could not engage in non-combatant service because he would thereby helping others to do that which he himself objected to.

He said he was a member of the Oldham P S A Brotherhood. He was not a member of the No-Conscription Fellowship and not a munition worker. He was prepared to accept any penalty imposed for not accepting service.

The Mayor: Would you be prepared to go to prison or anything else the Government may decide in preference to going to try to heal the wounded soldiers in hospital?
- Yes.

The members of the tribunal did not feel disposed to ask the applicant any questions and he went out.

Decision: Put into the non-combatant section.

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[Falcon Street is within the old Oldham CB]

King's Own Royal Lancashire Regiment 34023
Height 5 ft 4 ins

India 28 April 1917
Embarked for Bombay 15 / 11 / 17
Disembarked Basra 21 / 11 / 17
First joined for duty 18 / 12 / 16 Grade A1
6th Battalion
Joined at Heaton Park [Manchester]

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Born Ashton under Lyne, 3 October 1892
Died Oldham, February 1975 (cremated 25 February 1975)

1911 census
17 Falcon Street, Oldham
Single with parents and siblings
Occ: Cotton mule piecer

1939 register
165 Garforth Street, Chadderton
With wife Elsie and son Peter (b 1934)
Occ: Cop packer, cotton mill

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley