Harvey Collinge

Chadderton Tribunal 7 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 8 July 1916

At Chadderton Tribunal yesterday …

… Harvey Collinge (31) 4 Wood-street, Middleton Junction, a minder, appealed for exemption on the ground that he believed war was wrong and contrary to the highest dictates of humanity. The prosecution of war meant destruction of fellow human beings. He was opposed to taking part in combatant or non-combatant service. His opinions were strengthened by his following the teaching of Jesus Christ. He had been nine years a local preacher.

After a lot of talk, the man decided to drop his conscience plea and was exempted as in a reserved trade.

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Chadderton Tribunal 6 December 1916
Reported Oldham Standard 7 December 1916

The Chadderton Tribunal on Wednesday night devoted much of their time to considering the case of a conscientious objector - Harvey Collinge, a minder aged 31 and married, unattested of 41 Wood-street, Middleton Junction.

Asked to state the grounds of his objection to military service, the man said that he was convinced that war was wrong and contrary to the highest ideals. The prosecution of war meant, he urged, the destruction of fellow human beings and he was, therefore, entirely opposed to taking any part in it, either as a combatant or non-combatant. So far as possible he had sought to follow the teaching of Christ and had been a local preacher for nine years. Be the consequences what they might, he felt that he could do nothing that would violate his conscience or negative the gospel he had attempted to preach.

It was stated that the man, when exempted by reason of his trade, had been told to join the V.T.C. [Volunteer Training Corps] and that he had replied that he had not done so. As a conscientious objector it would not be logical if he complied with the stipulation attached to the exemption and joined the V.T.C.

The Chairman (Councillor Carter): I take it that you refuse to join the V.T.C?
Collinge: Yes, I can't join it.
The Chairman: I quite appreciate your position but we, too, have taken up a position and that is that we can't recognise any man, even if he is in a reserved trade, as being exempt unless he joins either the V.T.C. the special police or the St John Ambulance Brigade. If you are not prepared to join one of those three, we must withdraw your certificate of conditional exemption.
The man intimated that he could not join the V.T.C. it would be inconsistent on his part

The Chairman: But you would be doing no harm to your religious scruples if you joined the special police or undertook ambulance work. In my opinion it will only be carrying your objection to the point of fanaticism if you object to joining one or other of those two bodies. There is nothing that could offend your scruples if you help to preserve law and order, for instance. Nor would there be if you undertook ambulance service. We have every respect for a conscientious objector and we are prepared to meet it but we do not feel that the holder of such an objection should escape from national service altogether. He ought to sacrifice something. We are at war now you know. We recognise your objection but you must submit to the same conditions as others.

Collinge: I grant that there's such a thing as law and order but there is still a higher law than any man-made law. I prefer to obey that higher law. Tribunals have recognised the consistency of conscientious objectors in not requesting "C.O.'s" to join the V.T.C.
The Chairman: We are giving you the choice of joining two other bodies. Now I advise you not to make a martyr of yourself.
Collinge: I am not going to climb down to get an exemption. I would rather face the consequences than bargain away my conscience in order to get a conditional, or any other kind of exemption.
The Chairman: That's in your own hands. Am I to understand that you refuse to join either of the bodies named?
Collinge: Yes.
Chairman: You leave it to the Tribunal. Then just give us your exemption card back.
Collinge said he would send it along. He hadn't got it with him and asked, "Why was that granted me?"
The Chairman: That does not matter just now. We have the right to withdraw it if we think fit.
Collinge: I don't wish to be awkward at all. May I ask what it would mean if I took up ambulance work?
Captain Taylor (the military representative): It means that you would learn to treat injured persons.
Collinge: And does that imply work in military hospitals?
Captain Taylor: Not necessarily.
Collinge: It means treating wounded soldiers.
Captain Taylor: It might and it might not. It means that you must train for ambulance work.
The Chairman: I have every sympathy for conscientious objectors. I advise you to take up one of the alternatives offered to you without making a martyr of yourself.
Collinge: No one is more eager in his appreciation of what the soldiers are doing, according to what they feel to be their sense of duty, but at the same time, I feel that I must have that freedom to do as I believe to be right and proper.
The Chairman: As one man to another, I advise you, for your own sake, to accept the alternative of ambulance work. Now, are you prepared to take that class of work up?
Collinge: Yes, perhaps I might do if I knew that I should not be sent for service in a military hospital.
The Chairman: If you take up ambulance work and are called upon to do military hospital work, you could come here again.

Eventually the man said that he would not accept any of the alternatives offered and he was ordered for non-combatant service.

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Born Chadderton 10 August 1884
Died Chadderton 26 February 1949

1911 census
271 Grimshaw Lane, Middleton Junction
Single in the home of his aunt, Emma Scholes
Occ: Cotton piecer, spinning room

1939 register
Not found

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley