A List of Methodist Conscientious Objectors in WW1

discovered so far!

With the help of Cyril Pearce and the Peace Pledge Union we have now been able to identify the names of 578 men who were Conscientious Objectors in the First World War.  You can download the list below.

We would be delighted if you could help us discover more about their individual stories. Some already have their own pages on this website.

The list is not comprehensive, nor is it accurate!  Some just said they were ‘Methodist’, others were recorded as Primitive, Wesleyan, United, Free or Independent Methodists.

Some went to a Sunday School or Bible Class, some became Ministers before or after the war. Some became Quakers, and many joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP), where they found the support that was sometimes lacking from the church.

This is a work in progress. We know there are more stories to discover of immense courage, and the cost of commitment to peace and respect for all human life.

Downloads

Comments about this page

  • Thanks for doing this work. I’m writing about COs and all information is very useful. Especially that Firth came from Norfolk, not Yorkshire,

    By Victoria Manthorpe (24/11/2021)
  • Edward Spencer of Rochester & John James Aubrey Eckert of Strood were Wesleyan Methodists and on Cyril Pearce’s database.

    By cat clement (06/10/2019)

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