Thomas Douglas Pearce

Oldham Tribunal 6th July 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 8th July 1916

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

…. Thomas Douglas Pearce (39), 110 Clarksfield-road, Oldham, a chief booking clerk for the London and North-Western Railway, and parcels and passenger agent for Oldham, claimed that he had religious and conscientious objection to any form of military service. He was a member of the Christadelphian Church and, as such, always held religious and conscientious objections to any form of military service, to which the literature of the denomination of the past 50 years and petitions to Parliament testified.

As a Christadelphian he could not conscientiously place himself under military control and be in harmony with Christ. As a railway official, he was doing Government controlled work of public utility and labour of more benefit to the country than he would be on something to which he was not accustomed.

Replying to questions from the Mayor and Captain Almond, he said he expected he would get a certificate reserving him from the railway company.

The case was adjourned for a week to see if the reservation comes through.

[No further report found]

He has an entry on the Pearce List.

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Born Tamworth, Staffordshire, June quarter 1877
Died not found

1911 census
78 Hillside Avenue, Clarksfield, Oldham
with wife Edith and son Frederick
Occ: Clerk, railway

1939 register not found

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley