Bristol History Group & War Resisters

Discovering British War Resisters 1914-1918 Hoped-for outcomes and challenging surprises
Date: Monday 20th June, 2016
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: Friends Meeting House, Champion Square, Bristol BS2 9DB
Price: Donation
With: Cyril Pearce

Cyril Pearce is Britain’s foremost researcher into World War 1 conscientious objectors (COs) and war resisters. His book ‘Comrades in Conscience‘ looked at the anti-war movement in Huddersfield. Since then, Cyril has extended his work to look for other ‘Huddersfields’ and has created a database of British COs – the Pearce Register of British Conscientious Objectors The database currently contains details of almost 20,000 men who refused to fight in the war and is an invaluable tool for any local research. The 350 names we have published for Bristol are extracted from Cyril’s database.
The database has enabled the creation of maps of all the British counties plotting numbers and densities of COs and identifying anti-war ‘hot spots’. This research process has exposed hitherto hidden aspects of the anti-war phenomenon among them an underground network of safe houses and hiding places and, with the collaboration of Irish rebels, an escape route to North America.
Come and hear Cyril talk about his research, including stories of Bristol people who opposed the war.
Cyril Pearce is an Honorary Research Fellow at University of Leeds, School of History.
For more information email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com

Working Class Movement Library Events

Our film mini- festival reaches its finale Wednesday 1 June 6.30pm To begin the world over again: the life of Thomas Paine  Today there is the Occupy movement, back then there was Thomas Paine... This film of Ian Ruskin’s one-man play addresses a multitude of contemporary issues that challenge us today. Thomas Paine was a man who changed the face of the world through his writings. Common Sense inspired the American Revolution, Rights of Man defined the French Revolution, and The Age of Reason called on us to use our ability to reason as the basis for our beliefs and morality. This telling of the story of Paine, ‘a man who changed the world with his pen’, also inspires us to always speak the truth as one sees it, no matter the consequences’. Free screening - with popcorn... Talkin' 'Bout That Representation In 1969 the Representation of the People Act, which allowed people aged 18, 19 and 20 to vote in elections, was passed. During the 2014 Scottish Referendum 16 year olds were allowed to vote for the first time. The People’s History Museum and the Working Class Movement Library want to bring together the youth of the 1960s and today’s young people to discuss all matters relating to the right to vote and youth culture. We’re holding a joint event on Friday 3 June at 2pm at the Library, as part of the Manchester Histories Festival. To book a ticket for the event visit https://representation.eventbrite.co.uk.   Manchester Histories Festival 3-12 June 2016 Ten days  of  events  celebrating  the  familiar  and  revealing  the  new and hidden  histories  and  heritage  from  across  Greater  Manchester.  Whether people  would  describe  themselves  as  histories  fans  or  not, MHF2016  will have something for everyone. manchesterhistories.co.uk Fishing in the Dustbowl fundraising concert The Library's second musical fundraising concert takes place on Sunday 5 June from 2-4pm in Peel Hall, University of Salford, in conjunction with the University, and features Will Kaufman, performing and talking about some of his Woody Guthrie songs, and John Conolly performing and talking about  his own songs about life and work in the east coast fishing industry. This event is also part of the Manchester Histories Festival and as such we are promised a couple o f Ewan MacColl’s songs as well... Tickets at £10 (£8 concessions) are now on sale from the University online shop at shop.salford.ac.uk - or you can pay on the door. Conscientious objector exhibition and a repeat performance of 'No Power on Earth'There is an exhibition at the Friends Meeting House in Manchester marking the centenary of the introduction of conscription in 1916.  Conscience and War tells the untold stories of Manchester Quakers who resisted WW1 and runs until Sunday 12 June, 9am-9pm Mondays to Fridays and 9am-5pm Saturdays. It features a textile installation by Sonja Andrew. On Sunday 12 June a closing event will feature, at 1pm, a Living History performance, No Power on Earth, originally commissioned by the Library and again featuring Joel Parry as Salford conscientious objector James Hudson.  Admission free.Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS.

Bristol Radical History

THE 'Remembering the Real World War One history group' have announced a talk, a historical recreation, a film and a walk for their 'Summer 1916' events in Bristol:

The scale of Britain’s involvement in World War 1 changed in 1916. Any initial enthusiasm for the war was wearing off. Early recruits had been trained and sent to the front. There was no sign of imminent victory. Volunteer numbers were drying up. Those who had opposed the war in 1914 were joined by opponents of conscription when it was introduced in January 1916. After almost two years of sporadic fighting, July 1916 saw the start of the Battle Of The Somme.

Over the next two months we are putting on a number of events marking the centenary of this new stage in the war.

Monday June 20^th
‘Discovering British 1914-1918 War Resisters – hoped for outcomes and challenging surprises‘ – hear Cyril Pearce, Britain’s foremost researcher into World War 1 conscientious objectors and war resisters, talk about his research, including stories of Bristol people who opposed the war. Full details here.

Sunday June 26^th
‘Slaughter No Remedy’ – a re-enactment of Walter Ayles’ appearance before a Military Service Tribunal, exactly one hundred years after it happened, in the same room it took place. 1916 dress optional! Full details here. This will be a popular event – you need to book (free) via the link provided.

Sunday July 3^rd
‘Battle Of The Somme’ – a showing of the historic propaganda film with live piano accompaniment and panel discussion. Full details here. Note special price for Remembering The Real World War 1 supporters

Sunday July 10^th
'Smoke, Gas, Strikes, Metal And Slums’ – an historical walk through St Philips and The Dings remembering Alfred Jefferies, Bristol’s Deserter and Bristol in the early 1900s. Full details here.

For more information email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com