John Farmer

Oldham Tribunal: Reported Oldham Chronicle 08/7/1916

Oldham Tribunal 13 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 18 July 1916

At the Oldham Tribunal on Thursday several more cases of conscientious objection were heard.

… John Farmer (37) of 220 Manchester-road, Oldham, a market draper with one employee who assisted to run 13 stalls in different markets, wrote that he had never known force used as an argument against him to prove that he was wrong. He believed that the war ought to be settled on amicable lines without having rancour afterwards. He said that he did not plead business but a conscientious objection.

He did not belong to a religious body on account of the attitude of one church, of which he was a trustee, towards the war. He joined the No-Conscription Fellowship a short time ago to show his appreciation of the lads who had suffered for conscience sake. He did not object to hospital work if allowed his individuality. He could not accept any form of military service whatever. He believed with Shakespeare that if a man was faithful to himself it followed, as night follows the day, he could not be false to any man.

Sent to the Non-combatant Corps.

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Manchester Appeals Tribunal 26 July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 27 July 1916

Appeals by Oldham and Failsworth men who decline military service on the ground of a conscientious objection against the war were heard before the Appeals tribunal at Manchester on Wednesday.

…. John Farmer was greeted with the observation by the chairman, smiling: You don't mean to say that there is a Scottish draper in existence with a conscience; you are the first one I have heard of with a conscience, at any rate.

Farmer said that he offered to do work of national importance. Later he remarked on the subject of his claim: The Bible means to me what it says.
Chairman: I am glad of that, at any rate.
Farmer said that if he must make a sacrifice, he must and it was for the Tribunal to decide.

The Chairman replied that it was not for the Tribunal to find him work, he must find work - farming, railway, hospital, corporation, or similar work.

Farmer was given 14 days to find work. If it was reasonable and bona-fide, Judge Mellor said the Tribunal would approve.

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Oldham Magistrates Court 3 March 1917
Reported Oldham Standard 3 March 1917

Two conscientious objectors were before the Oldham magistrates to-day charged with being absentees from the army contrary to the provisions of the Military Service Act, 1916. They were Charles Rodgers aged 38 and Jno Farmer aged 37.

… Farmer, so the Chief Constable said, had absented himself since February 16th. He was another conscientious objector and. As such, he appeared before the local Tribunal and subsequently before Judge Mellor at the Appeals Tribunal - on December 20th last - the net result being that he was ordered to get on work of national importance. He found work on a farm but it appeared that although he was called a Farmer - (laughter) - he refused to do the work and left the job. As a result he was now before the Court and the Chief Constable had to ask that he be dealt with in the same manner as the other man.

Prisoner: The Chief Constable's statement is not true. I take objection to that part of it about me not doing farm work. I was ordered by the Tribunal at Manchester to find work of national importance. I found it - undertaking farm work for my keep and nothing else. I was taken away from the farmer with whom I found work and was handed over to another farmer. When I asked the man who had handed me over in that fashion whether he considered it right, he replied that he "would do just as he had a mind". I resented being handed over in that manner and so I left and I was given another month in which to find another job. In that month I did find another job and the first day I worked at it - it was in Liverpool - I broke my ribs. As soon as I was able to get about again after the accident I went to the Manchester Tribunal to explain things and they said to me, "Come again in a week." I went again in a week but the Tribunal gave me no choice whatever of explaining my case. I had no trial whatever and was ordered into non-combatant service. I have never refused to do some work of national importance Because I believe in service coupled with freedom.

This man too was ordered to be handed over to the military authorities and to pay a fine of 40s.

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The WO 363 records for John Farmer survive (held at The National Archives, available online via Find My Past) They are in poor condition:

He was aged 37 in 1917, married and a market draper.
His address on WO 363 records 220 Manchester Road, Werneth, Oldham

He joined the 5 Western Company of the Non-Combatant Corps and was posted to Kinmel Bay.
He was court martialled on 7 March 1917 for disobeying an order - he refused to fall in when told to do so.

On 27 April 1917 he accepted work under the Home Office scheme.

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He has an entry on the Pearce List.
The Pearce List of over 17500 WW1 Conscientious Objectors can be found on the Imperial War Museum's website HERE

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Oldham Local Studies and Archives PUO/1/59 (Guardians' Minutes) 23 May 1917:

The Local Government Board wants reports of the circumstances of the wife and family of convicted conscientious objector J Farmer of 220 Manchester Road, Oldham ….They may be left in a position necessitating poor relief.

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There is a possible match in the 1911 census of a John Farmer living in Werneth.
The age and marital status fit this man but the occupation does not.
The following information is only correct if the 1911 is of the correct man:

Born Chadderton, 31 July 1879
Died Chadderton, January 1929
Buried Failsworth Cemetery grave MB 35
29 January 1929

1911 census 30 Mill Lane, Werneth, Oldham
With wife Mary Alice and children Alice and John
Occ: Stripper and grinder in a cotton spinning mill

1939 register Deceased

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley