Person

Thomas Aisbitt was born in Eighton Banks, Durham in 1875. His father, James Aisbitt was a Stationary Engineman (Driver) and his mother was Mary Aisbitt. He had an older brother called James William, born in 1871. In the 1901 census, he was listed as a colliery joiner and by 1911, was an insurance agent for the Refuge Assurance Company, living as a boarder at 24 Clifford Street, Chester-le-Street.

At some point during the war years, he lived at 20 Ernest Terrace, Chester-le-Street. He declared himself as an agnostic.

He was enrolled on 5 July 1917 in Newcastle upon Tyne as being fit to join the 83rd Training Reserve Battalion, with the regimental number T R 55217. But refused to sign his army papers.

It was likely that a refusal to obey orders let to his being Court Martialled at Usworth Camp, near Sunderland. He was then sentenced to 2 yearrs hard labour and transferred to the civil (rather than military) authorities. He was imprisoned in Wormwood Scrubs from 24 July 1917 to 6 November 1917.

While at Wormwood Scrubs he appeared before the Central Tribunal on 18 September 1917. He was given permission to write for references as to his objections. On 27 September the Central Tribunal classified Thomas as “class A” (Genuine). He was then referred to the “Brace Committee”, a Home Office scheme to employ conscientious objectors (COs) in work of national importance. He was then sent to Knutsford, where the prison had been adapted to house COs for the scheme.

The Home Office Scheme then transferred Thomas to W Class Army Reserve on 15 November 1917.

Sources:
Census returns
British Army Service Records 1914-1920
National Archives WO86/77/24, WO363/A92, MH47/2. LMA/4417/01/016 Wormwood.
Pearce Register – records of men who refused to go to war on religious, ethical, political or social grounds.

Civil Parish: Chester le Street

Birth date: 1875

Armed force/civilian: Civilian

Residence: 20 Ernest Terrace, Chester-le-Street

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jane Wilson, Bishop Auckland | Mavis Dixon | Cyril Pearce