William Albinson

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 ….

…. William Albinson (28 years) 38 Mallalieu-street, Royton who works at Messrs Bodden's works appealed on the grounds that he could not give his services to the prosecution of war in any shape or form. He believed in the parliament of God and the brotherhood of man. Applicant said he was a Primitive Methodist.

The Chairman: There are a great number of Methodists serving in the war.
- That may be,
Councillor Smethurst: It is not a rule of the church but a personal belief.
- Yes.
It is not on political reasons at all?
- No.
The Chairman: How long have you held these views?
- Since I was 18.
It is not a matter of mushroom growth then?
- No, it is slow and gradual.
Are Bodden's doing any war work?
- I believe they are.
Are you employed on it in any way?
- No, not a bit.
Your conscience overrides what is generally supposed to be one's duty in these hard times?
- Yes.
Your duty does not make any great call on you?
- Not a bit.

Mr Buckley: I don't suppose any of us glory in war but don't you think there are times and circumstances which are very exceptional?
- That may be.
Wouldn't you rather go to help your country and your own people than see the Kaiser's men come here?
- No I am kept under in England and should be in any other country.
Wouldn't you be kept under more in the Kaiser's country?
- I cannot say, I don't live in that country.
You have read about it?
- You have not to believe all you read.
Mr Smethurst: Would you prefer to live in the Kaiser's country or England?
- I don't care which; I am a working man.
Mr Smethurst: I can please myself whether I believe it or not.
The Chairman: Have you considered the advisability of preaching a doctrine like this in any other country?
- No, I am not a preacher but a silent man. I try to set and example but do it in a quiet way.

Applicant called a friend to give evidence to bear out that he had held these views for some years. At first the witness refused to give his name until Councillor Smethurst remarked that he did not seem to have strong sense of conscience seeing that he would not make his name public. The military representative also wished to know why there should be so much secrecy about it, when they claimed publicity.

His name was Harry Whitehead, 271 Henshaw-street and he said he knew the appellant had held those views for at least 10 years.
The Chairman: Only this week I have heard a Primitive Methodist Minister regret that he was not serving in the trenches with his fellow members of the church.
The military representative (to applicant): Would you defend yourself if attacked?
- I should try to the best of my ability.
The Chairman: That is an admission
- I mean I should try my best to keep the man at bay.
That would play havoc with your conscience then?
- No.
Mr Buckley: You would not turn the other cheek then?
- Such a thing has never been attempted yet.
Mr Smethurst: I have a conscientious objection to anyone hitting me on the nose. (Laughter)

Claim disallowed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

The first of the appeals heard against the Royton Tribunal's decision was that of William Albinson (29 years) who wrote that he could not give any support to the prosecution of war. He had nothing to add to the plea put before the local tribunal and his appeal was dismissed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Royton Police Court 5 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 5 July 1916

William Albinson of 38 Mallalieu-street, Royton, was charged at Royton Police Court this (Wednesday) morning with having been an absentee under the Military Service Act.
Detective Curry stated that he arrested Albinson in his home on Tuesday evening. He then stated that he had a conscientious objection to any form of military service. He had his military notice in his possession and should have gone to the recruiting office on Monday.

Albinson said that the reason he did not go was because he had a conscientious objection. The law provided for conscientious objection, the Government having put a clause in the Military Service Act to exempt them. He had appealed to the tribunal and they did not grant him any exemption so then he had to take his own course.
Mr Jackson (assistant clerk) You had no intention of attending?
Albinson: No, I had not.

Mr Schofield (a magistrate): Your way is quite contrary to the law.
Albinson: I have been driven out of the law by this tribunal.
Mr Schofield: You have not proved you are a conscientious objector to the tribunal.
The magistrates inflicted a fine of 40s to be deducted from him pay and ordered him to be handed over to the military.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Royton Magistrates' Court 7 September 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 7 September 1916

At the Royton Courthouse to-day (Thursday) William Albinson of 38 Mallalieu-street, Royton, was charged with being an absentee under the Military Service Act. Messrs John Stansfield (Chairman) and James Schofield were the magistrates.

Detective Berry said that at 11 o'clock on Wednesday night he arrested Albinson at his home and charged him with being an absentee. He replied that he had a conscientious objection to any form of military service. He was taken to the police station and searched and his army papers calling him up for the 5th September were found in his possession.

It was stated that Albinson had been before the court on July 5th on a similar charge and he was fined £2 and handed over to the military authorities. He was taken to Ashton and sent home for two months as temporarily unfit, having to go back on September 5th. Asked why he had not obeyed the order to report himself Albinson replied, "Because I have a conscientious objection."

Mr Jackson (acting magistrates' clerk): You are not setting the army at defiance?
Albinson: No, I am not.
Mr Jackson: But you don't intend to be a soldier unless you are made.
Albinson: I don't intend to be a soldier at all. A conscientious objector can never be a soldier.

Major Taylor contended that this was a deliberate act of setting the military authorities at defiance. He would like to ask for the heaviest penalty possible. Mr Jackson told the magistrates that they could send the man to prison if they chose.

Mr Stansfield (Chairman) said that Albinson would be fined £3 or a month in gaol in default of payment. The earlier fine of £2 had not been paid and if he did not pay it he would have to go to gaol for a month for that. The money would be stopped out of his army pay if he went in the army but if he was rejected, he must pay it out of his civilian pay or go to prison.

Mr Stansfield remarked that the man was setting the authorities at defiance. "Those who don't obey the laws of the country would not have to live in the country if I had my way." He added, "A lot of people are calling themselves conscientious objectors who are nothing but cowards."

Albinson: You can only judge a man by his actions.
Mr Stansfield: That is so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Royton Magistrates Court 15 November 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 15 November 1916

William Albinson of Mallalieu-street, Royton who said he was a conscientious objector was charged at the Royton Police Court this (Wednesday) morning with being an absentee under the Military Service Act. Albinson, in answer to the clerk, said he admitted the charge.

The Clerk: Do you admit having had your notice?
- Yes and I am a conscientious objector and have had four notices.
The Clerk: You have been fined twice before?
- Yes.
You have no intention to pay?
- No I am suffering for conscience sake.
Would you rather go to prison?
- Yes sir.

The Chairman (Mr Stansfield) said he had been defying the military authorities and must be punished. He would be fined £5 and handed over to the military. In default of payment he would have to go to prison for a month. Mr B Crapper (a magistrate) said they considered it was a case of defying not only the military but also the civil authorities and he ought not to be allowed to do it. He ought to be taken to the military for some work.

Major Taylor said he was sent home for two months as temporarily unfit. He should have reported again for a re-examination.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was enlisted in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
He was court martialled at Felixstowe 27 November 1916 and sentenced to 1 year with hard labour, later commuted to 28 days.
He accepted work under the Home Office scheme and in January 1918 was at Knutsford Work Centre.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Born Oldham, 13 March 1887
Died Oldham, 21 July 1966 (252 Shaw Road)

1911 census :
46 Siddall Street, Oldham
Single age 23; with parents Harry and Emma
and three younger siblings : Ernest, Leonard and Emily
Occ. Iron Worker

1939 register
18 Knowle Road, Thornton-Cleveleys
Single with family of Fred and Emily Greenwood - his sister and brother in law.
Occ: Market manager

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He has an entry on the Pearce List.

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley