When Conscription Came To Holmfirth. A talk by Dr Tom Ashworth in the historic venue of The Drill Hall

When Conscription Came to Holmfirth. A talk by Dr Tom Ashworth in the historic venue of The Drill Hall. When Britain and the Empire declared war against Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in August 1914 it desperately needed to expand its small army and the country called for volunteers. During the following two years over two million men enlisted in the British armed forces but by 1916 that torrent of men had become a trickle. After much division and argument both politically and socially, conscription was introduced in January 1916. But it was conscription with a difference. Unlike every other European nation with compulsory enlistment, each conscripted man in Britain had the right to appeal against his enlistment – and millions did. These appeals were heard before Local Military Service Tribunals, which were composed of ‘worthy’ men and women who, daily, made critical decisions.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 20 September:

10.30am -12 noon

Location & directions

The Drill Hall, The Civic, Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 3AS

Directions:

Park in Crown Bottom Car Park

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

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