One hundred and fifty people gathered in Station Road, Ashley Down on April 17th to see the unveiling of the Bristol Civic Society blue plaque to Walter Ayles. Ayles was Bristol’s most prominent opponent of World War 1 and was imprisoned from April 1916 until February 1919.
Among those present were relatives of Bristol World War 1 conscientious objectors, including Rosemary Arthurs, Walter Ayles’ great-niece and many of the people who contributed to the cost of the plaque.
The event was introduced by Roger Ball on behalf of the Remembering The Real World War 1 group and Bristol Radical History Group. There was music – ‘The Choir With No Name’ sang “I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier……To shoot some other mother’s darling boy.”; Paul Bradley sang ‘The Green Fields Of France‘. Stephanie Weston, who will play Bertha Ayles in June’s re-enactment of Ayles’ Military Service Tribunal hearing (see below), recited the poem ‘The Thames And The Rhine‘. Colin Thomas gave a brief biography of Walter Ayles. Adam Church, who will play Walter Ayles in the re-enactment, read an excerpt from Ayles’ statement to Bristol Magistrates Court. Finally, Peter Gould whose father William was also imprisoned as a conscientious objector, unveiled the plaque.
Bristol Radical History Group have recently published ‘Slaughter No Remedy’ a biography of Walter Ayles by Colin Thomas. See here for details and here for where you can buy it.
On Sunday June 26th there will be a re-enactment of Walter Ayles’ appearance before the Military Service Tribunal. This is the exact centenary of the original hearing, in the room in which that hearing took place – the old Council House (now the Register Office) in Corn Street. Full details will be available soon. Space will be limited so make sure you book up whan you can.
For more information email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com