Oldham Historical Research Group

'THE GREAT WAR',     'THE WAR TO END WAR',     'WORLD WAR 1'
'What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstrous anger of the guns.'
                                                                                                  
from 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN WW1

John Rushworth

Oldham Tribunal 5 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 6 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 8th July 1916

The Oldham Tribunal on Wednesday afternoon considered and dealt with several claims for absolute exemption from service sent in by local men on the ground of a conscientious objection against any form of war service …

John Rushworth of Nadin-street, off Hollins-road, Oldham, a skip maker employed by Mr Joseph Brearley and working at the Durban Mill, wrote that having consecrated himself to God's service he would not take the military oath, as by doing so he would be violating his oath to the King of kings. He was, however, quite willing to undertake work of national importance such as agriculture etc., seeing that he had an obligation to his country. Whilst prepared to do that, he suggested that his present work is of national importance.

Mr Jos B Kenyon wrote that he believed the appellant was prepared was prepared to suffer for his convictions and those convictions, he knew, were held by him.
Councillor Schofield: Have you a conscientious objection to ambulance work?
- No, not under civil control.
Councillor Schofield: How long is it since you put civil control to it?
- It was before the war started. I don't wish to be under military control.

The appellant, after conversation upon the decision of the Tribunal to disallow the conscience claim and grant him temporary exemption to October 1st on the ground of his employment, refused to accept that position and decided that he would appeal to the Appeals Tribunal at Manchester against it.

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Manchester Appeals Tribunal 26 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 27 July 1916

Appeals by Oldham and Failsworth men who decline military service on the ground of a conscientious objection against war were heard before the Appeals Tribunals at Manchester on Wednesday, the Oldham appellants appearing in the court presided over by Judge Mellor …

John Rushworth of Nadin-street, off Hollins-road, a skip maker working at Durban Mill …

John Rushworth wrote that having consecrated himself to God's service, he could not take any form of military service as that would be violating his oath to the King of kings to whom he had sworn allegiance. But he was willing to do work of national importance. Yet he considered his present work of sufficient national importance to afford a claim that he be kept there. The local Tribunal had granted him exemption to October 1st with liberty to appeal again.

Judge Mellor, upon that, told Rushworth that he had neither necessity nor right to come before the Appeals Tribunal. He was exempted for the period mentioned and they would not hear him until the local Tribunal had finally decided.

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Born Littleborough, Rochdale 12 February 1886
Died Bebington, Cheshire, 26 March 1957

1911 census
311 Featherstall Road North, Oldham
Single with parents and siblings
Occ. Skip maker

1939 register
129 Arthur Street, Birkenhead
Widowed with daughter Irene
Occ. Basket maker

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley

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