by jeremyclarke -

Help Find Bristol’s Conscientious Objectors

In the First World War, hundreds of people in Bristol registered as conscientious objectors (COs). These were people who for religious, moral or political reasons refused to fight in the war against Germany. Some agreed to serve in non-combatant roles (eg ambulance staff); others were sent to prison. These were the brave, principled people who were recently described as ‘cranks’ by Jeremy Paxman.

Always keen to ensure a steady supply of people for the war-machine, the government ensured that COs were treated very badly. After the war many of them found it difficult to get their jobs back or to find a job of any kind. Faced with the devastation and destruction caused by the war, the authorities were acutely embarrassed by those who had refused to take part.

Remembering The Real World War 1 want to gather together as much information as possible about local COs. We plan to work with family history groups and others to discover the backgrounds of these people and their experiences during and after the war. The first step to is to make a list of the names and addresses of as many COs as possible. These are available in court records and newspaper reports. Most can be found online or in the city records office.

We need volunteers to help trawl through these records and reports. If you’re interested (or know anyone else who may be) please get in touch. We’ll organise a meeting of those interested and then get started.

And of course, if anyone in your family (or the family of anyone you know) was a CO we would like to hear from you.

Email us at rememberingrealww1@gmail.com or use the CONTACT US page on the website.

by jeremyclarke -

Bristol’s Own War Poet

Words out of War – poetry reading
Wednesday 11th June 2014 6pm – 7:30pm, Free Event at Foyles bookshop, Cabot Circus
Poetry by Isaac Rosenberg, and other modern Bristol poets. This event, organised by Bristol Quakers, introduces the writing of Isaac Rosenberg, Bristol’s war poet. Isaac Rosenberg was born in Redcliffe, Bristol in 1890 into a working-class, Jewish family. He hated the idea of killing, but when he heard that his mother would be able to claim a separation allowance he enlisted, joining the 12th Suffolk Regiment, a Bantam Battalion for men less than 5’ 3’’ in height.
During his 21 months in the trenches he wrote some remarkable and powerful poetry. In ‘The Great War and Modern Memory’, Paul Fussell’s landmark study of the literature of the First World War, Fussell identifies Rosenberg’s “Break of Day in the Trenches” as “the greatest poem of the war.”
Issac Rosenberg was killed near Arras, France, on 1 April 1918, aged 27. He was among 16 Great War poets commemorated on a slate stone unveiled in Westminster Abbey’s Poet’s Corner in 1985.
The event is free, and all are welcome. No booking required. E-mail eddy@learnersfirst.co.uk if you would like any further information
by jeremyclarke -

‘Private Peaceful’ At Tobacco Factory

Michael Morpurgo’s play ‘Private Peaceful – first seen in Bristol in 2004 – is being presented at the Tobacco Factory from June 25th to July 12th.

Private Peaceful relives the life of a young, First World War soldier as he awaits the firing squad at dawn. Growing up in rural Devon. His exciting first days at school. The accident in the forest that killed his father. His adventures with Molly, the love of his life. And the battles and injustices of war that have brought him to the Front Line.

You can see full details and book tickets on the Tobacco Factory website here

There also some showings of the film version – again see their website here

And don’t forget ‘The Gas Girls’ – see our website here

by jeremyclarke -

Bristol Dockers Vote ‘No’ To War

In early August 1914, as the British government was preparing for war with Germany, people across the country were discussing and debating the issues. The outcome of these discussions was often hostile to the threat of war. In Bristol, on August 2nd 1914, dockers met and voted against war. Here is a report from the Western Daily Press the next day.

Plans are underway to re-enact this debate on the dockside in late July 2014. Look out for details. Come and join in.

Bristol Dockers Vote 'No' To War
Bristol Dockers Vote ‘No’ To War

For more information email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com

by jeremyclarke -

The Gas Girls

 In 1918, Avonmouth was the centre of Britain’s chemical warfare industry with two factories making & filling shells with deadly mustard gas. The factories employed hundreds of local women & girls. There were hundreds of accidents, nearly 3,000 casualties & several deaths.

‘Gas Girls’ tells the untold story of the women who worked in the factories. The show was researched & devised by 20 local people and directed by ACTA directors, Neil Beddow & Ingrid Jones. 

June Tour dates.

10,11 & 12 June Avonmouth Community Centre @ 7pm.
16  June    Wickham Theatre (UoB) Cantocks Close, Woodland Road @ 7pm.
21   June   Withywood Community Centre 3pm and 7pm.
24   June    Orchard School, Horfield @ 7pm.

All tickets are £3 available online from www.acta-bristol.com

by jeremyclarke -

Till The Boys Come Home

A screening at the Watershed on Saturday May 10th of a film made for TV documenting a remarkable venture – a re-enactment of the oral history of the impact of the First World War on the people of Midsomer Norton and Radstock, performed by their descendants. This award-winning drama/documentary features war veteran Harry Patch, is narrated by Paul McGann, produced by Lee Cox and directed by Colin Thomas. Colin Thomas will introduce the screening

Date: Saturday May 10th

Time: 10.30am

Admission £5.50, concessions £4.

Full details on Watershed website here

It will be followed in the afternoon by a screening of the Blackadder Goes Fourth series, set in the trenches, with a panel discussion afterwards.

Full details on Watershed website here

by jeremyclarke -

WW1 Talks At Bristol Anarchist Bookfair

As part of the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair, Bristol Radical History Group is putting on two talks on World War 1. Details below – talks are in the Hydra Bookshop,  34 Old Market St, Bristol, BS2 0EZ from 4.00pm to 4.30pm on 26th March

a) Roger Ball (Bristol Radical History Group) – Shirkers, Skulkers, Deserters and the ‘Live and Let Live’ Strategy: Everyday Resistance to Combat on the Western Front in World War 1

Fraternisation between opposing armed forces on the Western front on Christmas Day 1914 is part of the British collective memory; sold to us a momentary ‘miracle’ involving a few hundred troops. Of far more interest are the massive scale and crucially the context for these events. The everyday ‘hidden’ resistance of troops on both sides to the conflict ranged from avoiding the front-line by numerous ‘fraudulent’ means through to indirect and direct cooperation between supposed enemies in the trenches. Various forms of these subversive behaviours lasted throughout the war despite the attempts of the ‘brass’ on both sides to suppress them. So come and find out why ‘Blackadder Goes Forth’ could have been a lot funnier and how Tommy and Fritz put their ‘cunning plans from the University of Cunning’ into action.

Colin Thomas (film-maker) – Freedom of Soul: Bristol and opposition to the First World War

Two weeks before the outbreak of the First World War, Bristol dockers voted for Britain maintaining neutrality and, although their union’s leadership wavered, the local Independent Labour Party kept up its opposition to the war to the bitter end. When many of its local male activists were sent to prison, women members continued to leaflet the case against the slaughter. Includes extracts from television programmes.

by jeremyclarke -

Comics Artists Publish Anthology To Oppose Jingoism

In July, acclaimed comics artists will publish a powerful anthology of stories to combat Michael Gove’s ‘jingoistic’ interpretation of WW1. To End All Wars, which includes 27 short stories based on real incidents, many told from a soldier’s perspective, is intended as a corrective to the Education Secretary’s insistence that the conflict should be taught as a “just war” fought to halt German expansionism.

The architects of the First World War are put on trial in the Hague and deserting soldiers celebrated in a graphic novel produced by Britain’s leading comic artists designed to undermine “jingoistic” commemorations of the conflict’s centenary.

We’ll make sure copies are available in Bristol when it is published

For full story from the Independent see here

by jeremyclarke -

Report And Video Of Neil Faulkner Meeting

Video Of Neil Faulkner Meeting

About 100 people came to the Malcolm X Centre on 26th March to hear historian Neil Faulkner explain how the government wants us to commemorate the centenary of WW1 by ignoring the real history of the war. Rather than a ‘just’ war fought to ‘uphold democracy’ it was a conflict started and conducted by the rich and powerful on all sides to protect their empires. The price in death and destruction was paid by ordinary people. The war ended not because of conclusive victories on the battlefields but because governments were unable to persuade people to continue fighting. Revolutions in Russia and Germany were key events in bringing about the end of the war, along with mutinies and disaffection in all armed forces.

Local documentary film maker Colin Thomas, showed clips of films he had made in the 1970’s, including interviews with conscientious objectors and Harry Patch. Colin also explained some of the stories that have been unearthed about the war in Bristol – showing the wide range of responses to the war at the time

Roger Bull of the Bristol Radical History Group explained the Remembering The Real World War 1 campaign in Bristol and encouraged people to get involved. There was a lively discussion afterwards.

A video of the meeting can be viewed here.

For more information on Remembering The Real World War 1 – Bristol’s campaign to commemorate the real World War 1 – email rememberingrealww1@gmail.com