Staffordshire Appeals Study Day 25 June 2016 Sally Sokoloff University of Northampton Northamptonshire Military Service Tribunal Cases Northamptonshire Tribunal Images with permission of Northamptonshire Record Office Photos of Miss Payne and of shoemakers’ workshops courtesy of Long Buckby History Association

Appeal statement by the Grocers and Provision Merchants of Nottingham for G.T. Gore, who managed their branch in Finedon, Northants. ‘ That we have always given our employees every facility to join H.M. Forces and to attest under Lord Derby ’ s Scheme, which will be recognised when we state that in October 1914 we put girls on to learn the trade so as to be in a position to allow our men to go at once. By the following July 1915 over 200 out of 530 had actually joined the Army and had been replaced by approximately 300 girls … Eligible men both married and single at the commencement of the War 530; actually in the army 250, Attested 180; rejected medically unfit 70, Not attested 25, Total 530. We might also mention that when Lord Derby ’ s Scheme came along, and before our trade was recognised as a Reserved Trade we had a special Recruiting Meeting at the Head Offices of the Firm at Nottingham, and all the eligible Directors and Heads of Departments attested, so setting an example to the remainder of the Staff. ’ April 27 th 1916

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In 1918 John Binder, a member of Oundle Local Tribunal, wrote ‘..the Tribunals on the whole have worked well and have made a buffer between the Army and Civilian life ’. Life in a Northamptonshire Market Town during the Great War The Diary of John Coleman Binder, Grocer, Baker and Town Councillor in Oundle Edited by Alice Thomas, Oundle Museum Trust 2013 History has tended to depict the tribunal members as bellicose old gentlemen who refused conscientious objectors their rights and sent young men to their deaths. McDermott ’ s study of the tribunals, by contrast, agrees with Binder. James McDermott British Military Service Tribunals, 'A very much abused body of men' Manchester University Press 2011 Sally Sokoloff From the Heartland: Letters, Memoirs and Local Histories of and Review Article The Local Historian Vol 46 No 2 April 2016

By appeal stage Walter Viney had changed from a ‘ market gardener ’ to ‘ market gardener and Estate Engineer ’ at Erskine ’ s estate at Spratton. Lord Erskine ’ s earlier personal assurance that the man was better suited to market gardening than to army service was dropped. ‘ He is a market gardener and Engineer and has 3 and a half acres of highly cultivated market garden ground to look after with the assistance of a lad aged 14. Lord Erskine formerly employed 2 other men, both of whom have left to take the places of men who have joined up. This man is the only one left he has to attend to two engines one for lighting and one for pumping water. He also has to look after a horse which is used for taking the vegetables to market. Lord Erskine has advertized extensively for a man to take Viney ’ s place but without success. Lord Erskine is himself engaged at the Admiralty and should have a man on the premises at Spratton. ’ The Northampton Mercury reported that the Appeal Tribunal asked Lord Erskine if his sons could help, and he said that they did some weeding during school holidays. Viney ’ s exemption was concluded. The Tribunal commented that the sons of poor men were required to work in times of national necessity.

July 12 th 1916 Miss Payne ’ s statement ‘ I had this man from farm work (because his feet were bad and he could not walk to work on the farm ploughing and etc) and had him thoroughly trained for the work of slaughtering Horses, Cattle and etc. flaying them, boning and boiling meat and grease it has taken 2 and a half to 3 years to train him. He also attends to four horses and helps in the carting of dead animals from the farms or wherever they are to the slaughter yard. This year up till July 12 th I have had 673 animals in this one yard. He has also boiled the meat from 250 other horses and cattle besides the above number. It is quite impossible to get a man to take his place I have advertised and never had one reply. From a sanitary point of view it is most needful for my business to be carried on. ’

Appeal by F. Parker for Arthur Jolley, maker and mixer of inks, waxes and stains for The Ebony Polish Co. of Northampton Local Tribunal summary:- ‘ The Company manufactures inks, waxes and stains used in finishing boots and shoes, and the attested man alone holds the secrets by which these are made. The other partner has no knowledge of the trade secrets by which these are made …...applicants have succeeded by perseverance and skill, and with the assistance of money advanced from outside, in creating a new industry at home, and are now supplying practically all the principal shoe manufacturers in town and county … Applicant stated that endeavours had been made to teach a Belgian employee to carry out Jolley ’ s work without success. The Tribunal considered that the business was of national importance, and are satisfied that if the attested man is withdrawn serious hardship will ensue. ’ 6 September 1916 The Military Representative appealed against Jolley ’ s exemption of 4 months The Appeal Tribunal upheld the Local Tribunal ’ s decision 5 October 1916

Boot and Shoe Manufacturing in Northamptonshire Northampton 1911 Census Male working-age population29,746 Of whom, boot and shoe and related trades12,596 By July 1916 English firms had provided 26,000,000 pairs of boots to British and other Allied armies. The majority, for example 80% of British Army boots, were made in the county. The manufacture of shoes for civilians was largely halted: demand was supplied by US imports. James McDermott British Military Service Tribunals (2011) ch 4 In May 1918, the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives recorded:- 102,000 employees in the industry (whole country), of whom 77,000 members of NUBSO, including 10,000 serving or served in the forces, of whom 464 had died by the end of Annual Report of the Twenty-third Biennial Conference of NUBSO (May 20th 1918)