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War dissent in a Welsh town
by Philip Adams
LIST OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Introduction. Briton Ferry: the lead-up to war
Chapter 2: The albums.
The records that provided most evidence of Briton Ferry opposition to war in came from three principal sources: autograph albums and photographs; the ‘Pearce Register’ of conscientious objectors; and the newspapers of the time.
Chapter 3: Support from every quarter.
This chapter reviews the influence of those known to have visited from outside Wales. Those who came, for example to oppose military or industrial conscription, support peace through democratic control of foreign policy, or to advocate pacifism. Individual visitors (including some well-known names as Keir Hardie, Ramsay MacDonald and Bertrand Russell) are examined and illustrated in this chapter in alphabetical order.
Chapter 4: Welsh support for resistance.
A selection of those who came to Briton Ferry from elsewhere in Wales to attend organised indoor and outdoor meetings in which they offered their support and opinions on the issues of the day.
Chapter 5: The Briton Ferry Resisters.
Some of those men from Briton Ferry who resisted conscription on grounds of conscience, and those who supported their resistance.
Chapter 6: Women against war.
The Women’s Peace Crusade was the first truly popular campaign in Britain to link feminism with anti-militarism. A number of individual women are examined in this chapter, including Emmeline and Sylvia Pankhurst.
Chapter 7: So what? The relevance of resistance today.
Now is the time to ask ourselves whether the objectors were right to resist, and if so should there be an apology for their physical mistreatment and injustices suffered. It is also time to ask whether their resistance has implications for today’s world.
Fifteen Appendices:
Timeline of key dates - Abbreviations - Reasons for exclusion from military service by a tribunal - John Wellington’s tribunal at Port Talbot - Appeal tribunal - The final appeal at the Central Tribunal - Tribunal outcomes - Definitions and tribunal jargon - Bill Gregory’s story - Prisons and work camps - Prison diet in 1916 - Bibliography - Chronology of visits to Briton Ferry - COs' motivation in Briton Ferry and Huddersfield - The Fetters and Roses Dinner
Keir Hardie's speech
Emmeline Pankhurst's arrest in 1914
NOT IN OUR NAME
A5 size (148 x 210 mm) paperback book with many illustrations. 288 pages
Price £17
ISBN 978-0-9930671-1-2
Any profit from sales will be given to Community-managed libraries in Neath-Port Talbot
Taylor's Foundry,
Briton Ferry 1916