A Conscientious Objector in Oxford
Photocopies of 2 letters from Leila Davies to Joseph Dalby, written in 1916
In 1913 my aunt, Leila Mary Davies, came up to Somerville College, Oxford, to read Greats, later changing to English. She was one of five sisters and had one brother (later my father), Philip Taliesin Davies (always known as Tal).He went up to Queens in 1915. He was a conscientious objector, was involved in politics at university and was left wing. In 1916 Leila was worried about her brother being conscripted. She found that he'd been taken to Cowley Barracks in 1916 where he was held waiting to be court-martialled. She wrote to a family friend, Joseph Dalby, who was also a conscientious objector and was involved with the No Conscription Fellowship (NCF), asking his advice. Her second letter is a response to his reply.
In her letters, she described being allowed to visit Tal ( sometimes in her letters referred to as 'the Kid') for half an hour a day and asked how best to proceed as she did not think he would accept alternative service. Leila hoped to convey advice to him in her visits, because they suspected that Tal's letters were censored. He was later court-martialled and imprisoned for three years. She refers indirectly and admiringly to support Gilbert Murray gave to conscientious objectors.
Leila also wrote about the futility of essay-writing at Oxford when the world was in turmoil. She was fiercely proud of her brother Tal and of conscientious objectors. Tal was released in 1919 (?) but was not permitted to return to Oxford. Conscientious objectors were disenfranchised for 5 years after the war.
Conscientious Objection
Letter
Two letters, with transcripts, written by Leila Davies in 1916 to Joseph Dalby, about her brother Philip who is imprisoned awaiting court martial as a conscientious objector.
Letters from Leila Davies to Joseph Dalby
CREATOR
Bridget Davies
DATE
1916 - 1919
LANGUAGE
eng
ITEMS
15
INSTITUTION
Europeana 1914-1918
PROGRESS
METADATA
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