Leonard Bayley

Oldham Tribunal 6 March 1916
Reported Oldham Standard 11 March 1916

Leonard Bailey* told the Tribunal he had conscientious objection to all military service since long before the war but had only been a member of the No-Conscription Fellowship three weeks.

He was caretaker at the Glodwick Wesleyan chapel and school.

The appeal was disallowed.

[*His surname is spelt Bayley in census returns and birth and death indexes.]

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South East Lancashire Appeal Tribunal at Manchester Town Hall 30 March 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 1 April 1916 (the following is an extract)

The South-east Lancashire Appeal Tribunal sitting at the Town Hall Manchester on Thursday afternoon heard appeals for total exemption from service made by a number of young men of Oldham, conscientious objectors, who had been sent to non-combatant service in most cases by the Oldham Tribunal and in a few cases to combatant service ….

…. Leonard Bailey, of 39 Brompton-street, was asked if his conscience would not allow him to succour the wounded? He replied in the usual terms that he would only be helping men back into the fighting line.

Appeal dismissed.

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Oldham Magistrates' Court 27 April 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 29 April 1916

Four absentees under the Military Service Act were brought up in custody at the Oldham Police Court on Thursday. They were Leonard Bayley (23) spindle grinder, 49 Brompton -street, Oldham; Henry Brierley (21) 7 Brompton-street, Oldham; William Cockcroft (23) traveller, 23 Churchill-street, Oldham and George Thomas Lees, undergraduate at St John's College, Cambridge, of 12 Hereford-street, Oldham.

In the case of Bayley, the Chief Constable said that notice was sent to him to report himself at the Swan Hotel on Tuesday but he failed to do so. He submitted the order from the military authority to arrest the man and asked that he be hnded over to Sergeant Major Bailey for the purpose of being taken to his destination.

Mr Herbert Booth (magistrates' clerk): Do you admit to being an absentee under the Military service Act?
Bayley: I plead not guilty
Mr Booth: Have you received the papers calling you up?
Bayley: Yes
The Chief Constable said that the minimum penalty under the Act was £2 and the maximum penalty £25.

Bayley was fined £2 and ordered to be handed over to the military authorities.

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After the court case Leonard Bayley would have been enlisted in the army against his wishes. He may have served in the military.
His name has not been found in Non-Combatant Corps or Court Martial reports.
His name is on the list of Oldham Absent Voters (serving army or navy personnel) taken from the 1918 Electoral Roll (note: if he had been a CO throughout the war or in a non-combatant corps he would not have been eligible to vote.)

He has an entry on the Pearce List HERE.

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Born Oldham, 13 April 1893
Died Oldham, 19 July 1952

1911 census :
89 Brewerton Road, Oldham
Single with parents
Occ. Cotton spinning spindle stretcher

1939 register :
193 Portland Street, Ashton under Lyne
With wife Laura and one daughter and possibly second child redacted.
Occ. Grocer and general mixed retailer.

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley