Conscientious Objector

[karenboj]

My Grandfather was a CO in the second world war and lived in Bedfordshire. I know he spent some time in Bedford Prison, having moved there from somewhere else. I am fortunate that I do have some of his tribunal papers, which make extremely interesting reading.

I wondered if anyone knows where I might get more information about what prisons he was in, for how long etc? :)

Thanks Karenboj

[Terry Reeves]

You need the prison calenders. These show who the inmates were and often give the sentence as well. Bedfordshire have some of them on line here: http://tinyurl.com/36wd23.

However, they do not cover your dates, so you will need to contact the archive to see if ww2 records can be released to the public.



Terry Reeves

[karenboj]

Thanks for this Terry I will see what I can find out, this will give me a start.

Karen

[Maximilian]

Thanks for this Terry I will see what I can find out, this will give me a start.

Karen

As I have suggested to timelord and sarahjane in the other conscientious objector thread (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11647), contact the Peace Pleadge Union Archivist: archives AT ppu DOT org DOT uk for a comparison with their database of 7000 British CO names.

[Penny Gallo]

I thought I was the only one - but that was because I searched for "Conchie". Maximilian has got me very intrigued with some of the info he messaged me about our CO.

[Sue Mackay]

I thought I was the only one - but that was because I searched for "Conchie". Maximilian has got me very intrigued with some of the info he messaged me about our CO.

The other thread was a couple of years old but was bumped to the top of New Posts when Maximilian replied to it, having presumably read through older postings on the WW2 forum.

[ADM 199]

My Grandfather was a CO in the second world war and lived in Bedfordshire. I know he spent some time in Bedford Prison, having moved there from somewhere else. I am fortunate that I do have some of his tribunal papers, which make extremely interesting reading.

I wondered if anyone knows where I might get more information about what prisons he was in, for how long etc? :)

Thanks Karenboj


Hi,
you could try The National Archives as there are Registers in LAB Files that may! help. LAB 45/75 - 76 - 84.

Brian

[Maximilian]

Brian's suggestion of the LAB (Ministry of Labour and National Service files) in this case is of limited value, as the only files of individual WW2 COs held in the National Archives are those of the Midlands Tribunal, held as a sample. All other individual CO files were destroyed soon after the winding up of the WW2 Tribunals in 1963.

As the grandfather in question lived in Bedfordshire, he is likely to have appeared before the Eastern Tribunal rather than the Midlands Tribunal. For individual COs, a useful place to start is the Peace Pledge Union, which is creating a database of all British COs who can be traced. 7400 names have been entered so far, including 3500 from WW2.

www.ppu.org.uk/coproject

For information on who is listed, click on the Contact button, and then on the Archives button, and send a message naming the CO or COs being sought.

Maximilian

[ADM 199]

Brian's suggestion of the LAB (Ministry of Labour and National Service files) in this case is of limited value, as the only files of individual WW2 COs held in the National Archives are those of the Midlands Tribunal, held as a sample. All other individual CO files were destroyed soon after the winding up of the WW2 Tribunals in 1963.

As the grandfather in question lived in Bedfordshire, he is likely to have appeared before the Eastern Tribunal rather than the Midlands Tribunal. For individual COs, a useful place to start is the Peace Pledge Union, which is creating a database of all British COs who can be traced. 7400 names have been entered so far, including 3500 from WW2.

www.ppu.org.uk/coproject

For information on who is listed, click on the Contact button, and then on the Archives button, and send a message naming the CO or COs being sought.

Maximilian


Thanks for that as I had noted the References for future viewing when time allowed.
Unfortunately as I drive 156 miles to get to T.N.A. other matters are usually more pressing with the time available.

Brian

[karenboj]

After having a pm from Maximilian I followed up the PPU connection. I have been liaising with the archivist there about my grandfather's papers etc. I subsequently found all the paperwork that had been sent him during his request for registration and eventual sentence and then his successful appeal. I understand that from the information I received from the PPU was that all paperwork was destroyed in the 1960's and as has been mentioned only the Midlands tribunal held as an example.

Yes my grandfather was heard by the Eastern tribunal and the documentation I have found I have pieced together to make a readable journey/ timeline of his experiences and have shared this with the PPU. They were pleased to get copies of the papers for reference. They are willing to hear from anyone who has experiences to tell, especially children of parents who were CO's. My mother was able to give write some of hers and send to them.

Thanks again for the lead to the PPU - it has been extremely successful, especially as Bill, the archivist gave me some context to the paperwork I had -and the contact of someone who was a friend of my grandfather, who is now 90!
Karen:)

[karenboj]

NB: Just to confirm the information about my grandfather I did not find from PPU - I found it mixed up with a load of information my mother had gathering dust in a box somewhere. I didnt want to mislead people by thinking I got it from the PPU.
Cheers
Karen