John Butterworth

Failsworth Tribunal 15 March 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 18 March 1916

John Butterworth who is 18 years and 10 months old and lives at 19 Roman-road, Failsworth, claimed absolute exemption from any kind of military service. He was against all war and could not take any man's life. He believed in the brotherhood of man and killing was against that. He was a Congregationalist, which stood for freedom. Freedom and militarism could not exist together. He was a minder at the Ivy Mill.

Councillor Schofield: Are you on war work at the mill?
- Not that I know of.
Councillor Johnson: You do not know whether the mill is on war work or not?
- I am definite on it, we are not on war work.
Councillor Schofield: You would not go to a mill where they were doing war work?
- No, I should be helping in the war.
Councillor Howarth: Tell us how we are to carry out our treaty obligations in regard to Belgium.
- If England had agreed to keep out of this war, Germany would not have gone through Belgium. They asked our sanction to keep out, but Sir E Grey would not give it and they went through Belgium. We are supposed to be fighting for small nations but we attacked Turkey which is a small nation. I consider we should have appealed to the other nations for a conference before we went to war.
Lieut. Pool: Didn't we offer to consider it with anyone else, but Germany would not agree to it?
- According to the papers, yes.

Butterworth said it was said we were unprepared but still we had new guns in Belgium early on.
Lieut. Pool: You don't blame the nation for taking some action do you?
- Yes, the nation has to suffer for it.
Lieut. Pool said we were in the war and we were in a jolly big hole and we had got to get out of it and every man was needed to get us out. They ought not to think of themselves but of other people.
- I am not thinking about myself but about my conscience.
Lieut. Pool: Your conscience ought to ask you to assist other people. We can think about the brotherhood of nations after the war.
Butterworth said he had done his duty as a citizen by getting up at 5.30 every morning and also by attending night schools.
Lieut. Pool: That is doing your duty as a civilian. We are not civilians now.
Butterworth: Well, I don't believe in the army and I am not going into it.

There was a dramatic scene when Butterworth's father, who was with his son, made a strong appeal for the lad. He said he was the only child and his mother was a chronic invalid and if he went as a soldier it meant the smashing up of the home and the death of his mother. Apparently labouring under much excitement, the father declared, "I will ask the military representative, if the case goes against my son, to take me in the place of my lad. He is the only boy I ever had and shall have."

Butterworth: I shall not allow you to go.
Lieut. Pool: There's the lad. He has got plenty of spirit.
Father: I will die for him or for his mother.
Councillor Howarth: the lad will die for his mother too.
Father: I will live for her and work for her also.
Lieut. Pool: I am afraid that does not come into the question. We are not going to ask you to be killed.
Father: He is a teacher and his mother is a deeply religious woman and has brought him up in the teaching of Christ. He could not kill a rat or a mouse. He is no more fit to be a soldier than a new-born baby.
Butterworth was ordered to join the non combatant corps.

At the close a young woman amongst the audience called out that the tribunal had pre-judged the cases and that she would report it. Other members of the audience supported her and they dispersed amidst applause.

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Manchester Appeal Tribunal 5 April 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 8 April 1916

At the sitting of the South East Lancashire Appeals Tribunal at Manchester Town Hall on Wednesday, claims were made by conscientious objectors from Failsworth. Mr J M Yates KC presided and all the appeals were dismissed, the local tribunal's decisions being upheld …

… John Butterworth (18 years and 11 months) of 19 Roman-road, Failsworth claimed absolute exemption. He could not take any human life and could not take any responsibility in taking life.

The Chairman: To what church do you belong?
- Congregationalists.
Congregationalists do not object to the war.
- I am not here to consider their conscience but simply my own.
The Chairman: What makes you say this?
- I have been brought up to believe that killing is wrong.
But you do not object to other people preventing you being killed?
- I have not asked anyone to prevent me being killed.
You would allow anyone to kill you, then?
- No.
What would you do if someone proposed to kill you?
- I could not take the responsibility of this man's life on my shoulders.
Supposing he was going to kill you, what would you do?
- I should try to prevent him.
If you had a weapon in your hands and he was using one against you, would you use it?
- I have never had a weapon in my hands.

The applicant's father, who appeared with his son, submitted a letter to the Chairman in which he said his son had been brought up in the ethics of the four gospels.
What is the meaning of the word ethics?
- Teaching.
That is not the meaning of ethics. Who gave you that idea?
The father made no reply.
The Chairman: He is the only child is he?
- Yes.
The Chairman: That is evidently the real reason. Non combatant service.

Applicant said that non combatant service to him was simply helping to carry on the war.
The Chairman: Not always. You might be an orderly in a hospital.
- I should be helping to cure soldiers to go back again.
The Chairman: This is all claptrap of the worst order.

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Pearce List states he joined 2 Western Non Combatant Corps attached to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Kinmel Park. He was court martialled at Kinmel Park on 20 June 1916, sentenced to 2 years with hard labour and sent to Walton Prison. He accepted the Home Office Scheme and was sent to Wakefield Work Centre.

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Born Failsworth abt 1898
Died -

1911 census :
19 Roman Road, Failsworth
With parents, their only child, aged 13 years
Occ. Operative cotton piecer

1939 register not found

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley