| Description | North Riding appeal tribunal number: 3726
Appeal against conscription of: Richard Metcalfe
Age: 41
Address: Leyburn
Occupation: Grocer etc
Local tribunal: Leyburn Rural District Council
Central tribunal: No
Military Service Act 1916 or Attested: Attested
Grounds for appeal: d) serious hardship
Appellant: Richard Metcalfe
Summary of case: Metcalfe was a grocer, fruiterer, egg and butter merchant. The military representative had appealed to the local tribunal that the conditions on which he had obtained two previous exemptions, business hardship, no longer applied as he now worked on the camp. The local tribunal withdrew his certificate but the military requested not to call the man up before 1 July 1917. Metcalfe appealed that he had not given up his business, which he had spent 10 years building up. Due to the government stopping the importation of practically all fruit and the scarcity of potatoes he had experienced very serious hardship for the last few months. After discussion with his wife he had answered an advertisement for national service for a man aged over 41, passed C to take up Army canteen work at Catterick Camp. He was working at the camp part time, otherwise buying produce for his business which was being sold by his wife and son and attending market. He intended to keep this post until the English fruit season started. He stated that the military representative had his certificate cancelled on the grounds that since he had given up his business he was not indispensable but this was not true he had not given up his business. If he was taken he would be ruined and have to close his business. He had a nearly 18 year old son and two other children, 3 years and 6 months and had been one of the largest suppliers of fruit and vegetables to Wensley camp. He stated that when he went to the local tribunal it was comprised entirely of farmers with no business representative. [See also NRCC/CL 9/1/4271, NRCC/CL 9/1/4851, NRCC/CL 9/1/5689]
. Supporting evidence: Yes
Date and decision of North Riding Appeal Tribunal: 21 June 1917. Allowed to 30 Sep 1917 |