The following is an extracted list of cases brought before the Poole Local Tribunal. The source for each extract is listed at the top of the extract (e.g. Poole and Dorset Herald, Western Gazette.) Where sources have been accessed online, the name of the database and search terms used have been provided.

Poole and Dorset Herald

March 9th 1916

• An applicant who had to support parents. Said that he had been unable to secure work since Christmas because people were afraid he would be called up.

• Second applicant, similar to above. It was pointed out that there would be more per week going into the home than if the applicant did not go into the Army.

• The Rev. H.L. Phillips applied for the exemption of a Church Army officer on the grounds of indispensability.

• A man who was the sole provider for the home.

• An undertaker’s employee, on the grounds that his employer could not find sufficient men.

• A man who was the sole supporter of his widowed mother.

• A man who declared his age to be 41 years 11months and two weeks.

March 9th 1916

• In general: cases of medical unfitness, and being in ‘certified occupations’.

• Three men put on the non-combatant list. All seem to be faith related reasons.

• Man refused to take part in military service or be put on the non-combatant list, as it would entail taking a military oath. He belonged to the Plymouth Brethren, and was put on the non-combatant list against his wishes.

March 30th 1916

• Man previously rejected by the medical board for being under the standard height.

• Man rejected because he was deaf.

June 15th 1916

• George Henry Mizzen. Only man left working as an undertaker for Councillor H.J. Cole.

• Herbert S. Noad, photographic artist, as the sole provider for his wife and two children.

• Charles F. Richards, as a skilled man and indispensable to the business (Longfleet Nurseries).

• Frederick George Lockyer, his wife being an invalid due to consumption and having two children and his wife’s mother to support.

• Albert J. Cuff, postman and an NCO in St. John’s Ambulance Brigade.

• Robert Waters, engaged in a certified trade (wholesale fish trade).

• W. A. Cross as he had no one in his employ capable of taking care of his business. Also had five children.

• Walter Tom Jeffery, asked for conditional exemption.

• Wilfred B. Chinchen, as ‘serious hardship’ would result if he had to serve.

• Frederick John Sherman, applied for six months exemption to ‘allow him to straighten up affairs’

• A. J. Howe – certified trade (Crown Dorset Art Pottery Co.)

• J. Rogers – certified trade

• D. Legg – being 41 years old.

• C.J Small

• H.J.Winton

• Frank Lane, farm manager, being indispensable to his employer. (‘he could not find another man to take his place, and a woman could not do the work’)

• Geo. W. Loveless, sole supporter of his mother.

• Walter E. Croad, as he was doing a public service maintaining 3 1/2 miles of road.

• Edwin W. Hoare, asking for temporary exemption to settle up some compensation matters in connection with the death of his father-in-law.

November 23rd 1916

• Joseph Tuck, that he was indispensable in this work and also had only passed for a low class of service.

• William Hy Stay, on account of his wife’s health.

• John Samuel Coles, on behalf of his son, Herbert Victor Coles, being the only son not serving and the only man his father had.

• Walter Cross, asking for a further exemption as he had not been able to dispose of his business.

• Geo. Connelley, as it was necessary for his to remain for his patients.

April 18th 1917

• Lionel Stoddard Milledge – appeal dismissed

• Robert Alfred Hughes – appeal allowed

• Henry Harman – dismissed

• Frank Selby – dismissed

• William Harold Hamond – dismissed

• George Wm. Lush – allowed until July 15th

• John Phillips – dismissed

• William L Mason – allowed until October 15th

• Gilbert Alf Hibbs – appealed against by the Recruiting Officer on the grounds that he had no badge.

• Geo. Hy. Isaacs – allowed exemption until July 15th

• Chas. Montague Bennett – dismissed

• R. Airiton – conditional

• Sidney Jas Smith – adjourned

• Ernest Gale – allowed until May 15th

• John Yeats – appeal dismissed

• Richard John Lawrence – appeal allowed

• Geo. Jas. Cook – dismissed

• Wm. Fagg – appeal allowed until June 15th

British Newspaper Archive [Search terms: Poole, Tribunal. Date: 1916]

Western Gazette –

October 20th 1916

• Harold Wilfred Eaves, on ground of conscientious objection and domestic hardship.

December 22nd 1916

• Arthur Henry Parks, asking to apply for a longer exemption time.

• Percy Orman, having had a nervous breakdown nine years ago and defective vision in one eye. Asked instead if he might be permitted to do munitions work.

• Lionel Ernest. Asked for appeal to be heard privately.

• Frederick Eric Palmer, on account of him growing fruit and vegetables on nine acres of land and having no help.

• Harry Leonard Bromley, only one left to run the business and had Government contracts in hand.

• Edward K. Reeve, Upper Parkstone, applied for further exemption time to close up his business.

• Charles J. Barfoot, appealed on the grounds that his employees were now engaged in making munitions boxes and he was personally doing service with the Volunteers.

• Archibald S. Rose, appealed on the grounds of hardship. It was suggested that his wife could carry on his business in his absence, but it was then stated that his wife was often ill for weeks, or months, at a time.

• Harry Heath, appeal was of a ‘domestic nature’ and he had an injury to his knee.

• Edward E. Clarke, cashier and chief clark for Messrs Bradford & Sons.

  April 21st 1916

• Reginald Moore, on grounds of being in a reserved occupation. It would be impossible to replace him.

• William Randall, Upper Parkstone, on account of being in a certified trade.

• Roland Arthur Lees, based his claim on looking after his invalid father.

• William Francis Miles. His father appealed on his behalf, his work being indispensable.

• Ernest Holmes, on account of supporting his parents. His employers also wrote that he was employed in work of ‘immediate national importance’ and would be needed until at least June.

• Gerald E. Long

• John Laws Carter, on the grounds that he was necessary to keep up the supply of bread in Poole Rural District.

• Frank Thomas Condon, confectioner

• Laurence Hugh Coombs, on grounds of being indispensable.

• Wallace George Buckmaster, on the grounds of his work being indispensable.

  October 13th 1916

  The Gazette states that: ‘thirty-two appeals, twenty-four against decisions of the Borough, six Poole Rural..’ took place, but gives no details.

[Search terms: Poole, Tribunal. Date: 1917]

Western Gazette –

December 14th 1917

• William H. Fisher, case adjourned.

• Alfred G. Balson, stated that he could produce certificates to prove that he was medically unfit.

• Ernest John Bull, appealed against his medical grading of 1:1 and asked to go before the medical assessors.

• W.F. Clements, had been adjourned for medical classification and is now graded 3.3. Appeal dismissed. [Wallis Down]

  February 23rd 1917

• Raymond Lawrence Williams. The military appealed against his temporary exemption. This had been given on domestic grounds.

• Jesse Williams Maurice Baker. A conscientious objector who informed the Committee on Work of National Importance that he could not do the work they offered as it involved the manufacture of munitions. He is now working for a curriers firm.

• Daniel Geo. Cluett, Carter & Co, for an extension of exemption as his work involved an important government contract and had been delayed by the bad weather.

• Arthur Robert Partridge, having been ‘signed off’.

• Ralph Hoare Foster, on the grounds of being a conscientious objector. The local tribunal had put him the non-combatants corps.

• Ivan Montague Day, on the grounds of serious foot trouble.

November 23rd 1917

• Arthur A. Cousins, as he is the sole supporter of his mother.

• Charles A. Lovelace, appealing against Poole Borough Tribunal’s decision not to hear his appeal as they ran out of time. It was suggested that he apply for medical re-grading.

• Employees of South-Western Pottery: William New and William A. Hordle. Their employer was appealing against Poole Borough Tribunal’s decision to revoke their certification on appeal of the military, so that they were now able to be called up if required.

Birmingham Daily Post

Friday 21st September 1917

• Lord Wimborne secured exemption for ten of his employees on his Canford estate. The farm manager received conditional exemption and the other nine men received exemption until January.

[Search terms: Poole, Tribunal. Date: 1918]

Western Gazette

Friday 6th September 1918

There were two sittings of the Dorset Appeal Tribunal at Poole, but they concerned cases from: Wareham, Shaftesbury Borough and Rural, Blandford Borough, Sturminister Rural and Swanage Tribunals.

Friday 3rd Mary 1918

Board of Agriculture stated that, with regard to young men employed in agriculture, whose exemptions would be withdrawn by the recent Order … a very large proportion of those men would have to go.

• William Nevison Squelch, wholesale butcher and slaughterman and market gardener, came under the scope of the recent Order (R. 49) which automatically withdrew the exemption. Appeal dismissed. (Wallis Down)

Friday 18th January 1918

• Harold P.D. Barnes, small-holder and market gardener. Granted temporary exemption to July 15th. Case not supported by the County War Agricultural Committee.

• William Nevison Squelch, pork butcher, slaughterman and market gardener. Secured a period of grace to April 15th (Wallis Down)