| Description | North Riding appeal tribunal number: 1645
Appeal against conscription of: John Robert Robinson
Age: Not stated
Address: Flaxton Grange, Flaxton
Occupation: Farmer
Local tribunal: Flaxton Rural District Council
Central tribunal: No
Military Service Act 1916 or Attested: Attested
Grounds for appeal: a) continue in current occupation, e) exempt occupation
Appellant: John Robert Robinson
Summary of case: The papers include many letters from a solicitor and a land agent, all supporting the appellant's wish to be exempt, on the grounds that he was a lone farmer, producing essential food, that his land would lie fallow if he enlisted, that he was in an exempt occupation. The North Riding Appeal Tribunal had dismissed his appeal and he and his supporters asked for leave to appeal to the Central Tribunal. Inter alia they said that this was the only case in which a tenant farmer ha[d] been taken away
in this district. Also, it was said that the Military Authorities had received instructions from Headquarters not to call up any men engaged in agriculture before the 1 Jan or dairy farmers before 31 Mar 1917. Although the Clerk to the North Riding Appeal Tribunal had written on 21 Nov 1916, to the solicitor J H Turner, that the tribunal was not prepared to consider the matter further, there were further exchanges. The Clerk considered that, if a man had received a calling up notice, the local tribunal was precluded from re-hearing the case. Another letter of 21 Mar 1917 from the Clerk to Turner suggested that the representative of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries should contact the Recruiting Officer at Easingwold to see whether Robinson could have further time to make enquiries to see if the Army Council could re-hear the case, (See also NRCC/CL 9/1/72)
Supporting evidence: Yes
Date and decision of North Riding Appeal Tribunal: 25 Sep 1916. Dismissed. Case reheard 10 Nov 1916. Dismissed. |