Edith Maud Ellis was a Quaker and was actively involved in supporting conscientious objectors during World War I.
Edith Maud Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 January 1878 |
| Died | 27 March 1963 (aged 85) |
| Known for | Imprisoned anti-war activist |
| Parents |
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Early life
editEdith Ellis and her identical twin sister Marian were born on 6 January 1878, the daughters of John Edward Ellis, MP and Maria Rowntree.
World War I
editIn 1916, Edith became Treasurer of the Friends Service Committee, set up to support Quakers who became conscientious objectors.[1] This committee had been set up by Yearly Meeting in 1915, to advise men of enlistment age.[2]
In May 1918, the three officers of the Friends Service Committee were prosecuted under the Defence of the Realm Act, charged with publishing a pamphlet titled A Challenge to Militarism without submitting it to the Censor.
In their defence the Friends stated that:
- We feel that the declaration of Peace and goodwill is the duty of all Christians and ought not to be dependent upon the permission of any Government Official.
- We therefore intend to continue the publication of such leaflets as we feel it our duty to put forth, without submitting them to the Censor ...
Edith Ellis was fined £100 plus 50 guineas costs or three months imprisonment. Harrison Barrow and Arthur Watts received six months imprisonment.[3]
An appeal was held in July 1918 but was dismissed. Edith refused to pay her fine and was imprisoned for three months in Holloway.[2]
Later life
editIn 1919, Edith turned her family home, Wrea Head Hall in Scalby, into a convalescent centre for released conscientious objectors.[4]
In 1948, Edith gave Wrea Head and its contents to the North Riding County Council for the purposes of education.[5]
Edith established the Edith Ellis Charitable Trust for general charitable purposes.[4] The Trust, now named The Edith M Ellis 1985 Charitable Trust, "... aims to give small grants to a broad range of Quaker and other UK registered charities or Non Governmental Organisations."[6]
Edith Ellis died on 27 March 1963.
References
edit- ^ "Edith M Ellis". The men who said No. Peace Pledge Union. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ a b Graham, John William (1922). Conscription and conscience; a history, 1916-1919. London: George Allen & Unwin. pp. 161, 166, 167. OCLC 1042539796. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ Kennedy, Thomas C. (2001). British Quakerism, 1860-1920: The Transformation. Oxford University Press. pp. 347–360. ISBN 0198270356.
- ^ a b "History". The Edith M Ellis 1985 Charitable Trust. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Heritage & Lifestyle". Wrea Head Hall. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Charity overview". Charity Commission. The Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 10 April 2020.