Hello Everyone I have a question concerning conscription of shipyard workers into the armed forces during WW1. Thomas NEIL, age 34, shipyard labourer, bachelor, married Isabella KIRKLAND in the Tynemouth Register Office in June 1918. All searches in earlier censuses and BMD records failed to find him. I suspect that he was born in Armagh, Ireland, and came to Tyneside (Willington Quay) a short time before the marriage. An occupation as a shipyard labourer suggests that he was in decent physical health and yet he was not conscripted. Were there any restrictions in conscripting Irsh nationals, even though at that time Ireland was part of Great Britain, that would allow Thomas to avoid conscription? Or were shipyard workers, even labourers, in an exempted occupation? Regards Charles Atkinson, Niagara Falls, Canada.

Charles Atkinson <[email protected]> wrote: >Were there any restrictions in conscripting Irsh nationals, even >though at that time Ireland was part of Great Britain, that would >allow Thomas to avoid conscription? Or were shipyard workers, even >labourers, in an exempted occupation? Charles I would be very surprised if shipyard workers of any type were conscripted - building and repairing warships was vital to the war effort. Brian -- Brian Pears (Joint List Admin - NORTHUMBRIA Mailing List)

Even more so in W.W.2 than W.W.1. Mike Temple. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Pears" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 11:24 PM Subject: Re: [NMB] Thomas NEIL & Isabella KIRKLAND > Charles Atkinson <[email protected]> wrote: >>Were there any restrictions in conscripting Irsh nationals, even >>though at that time Ireland was part of Great Britain, that would >>allow Thomas to avoid conscription? Or were shipyard workers, even >>labourers, in an exempted occupation? > > Charles > > I would be very surprised if shipyard workers of any type were > conscripted - building and repairing warships was vital to the > war effort. > > Brian > -- > Brian Pears (Joint List Admin - NORTHUMBRIA Mailing List) > .. > Please remember to snip most of the earlier message before you post any > reply...... Thank you! > > The NORTHUMBRIA FAQ page is located at > http://www.bpears.org.uk/NorthumbriaFAQ/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Charles There was never conscription in Ireland, although a great many volunteered How that effected Irish men in England I don't know but would suspect if he was an Irish National he would not be conscripted wherever he was And as Brian says, it seems unlikely he would be conscripted anyway as a shipyard worker Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 29/04/2013 21:39, Charles Atkinson wrote: > Hello Everyone > > I have a question concerning conscription of shipyard workers into the > armed forces during WW1. > > Thomas NEIL, age 34, shipyard labourer, bachelor, married Isabella KIRKLAND > in the Tynemouth Register Office in June 1918. All searches in earlier > censuses and BMD records failed to find him. I suspect that he was born in > Armagh, Ireland, and came to Tyneside (Willington Quay) a short time before > the marriage. > > An occupation as a shipyard labourer suggests that he was in decent > physical health and yet he was not conscripted. > > Were there any restrictions in conscripting Irsh nationals, even though at > that time Ireland was part of Great Britain, that would allow Thomas to > avoid conscription? Or were shipyard workers, even labourers, in an > exempted occupation? > > Regards > > Charles Atkinson, Niagara Falls, Canada.