LEONARD LEWER

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LEONARD LEWER (1894-1971)

Leonard was born on 17^th December 1894 in Bayswater, the fourth of five children of William and Alice Lewer.   His father was a butcher with his own shop.  By 1901, when Leonard was about six, the family was living in Southwark but are found ten years later on the 1911 Census at 100 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, Islington.  By that time Leonard’s eldest brother, Alfred George, has become a butcher’s assistant, the second brother William John is a Commercial Clerk, sister Alice is at home, Leonard is also an audit and accountancy clerk and the youngest, Emily, is at school.

In 1916 Leonard applied to Hornsey Tribunal for absolute exemption from military service on Christian grounds giving his address as 25 Lorne Road, Stroud Green, Hornsey. His initial application was made on 26^th February, his grounds being based solely on Christian teaching and biblical quotations, though he does add that he is dispensable to his firm, Messrs. Glen and Co. of Cheapside, London.

We find a letter from Hornsey Town Clerk, dated 22^nd March to the effect that Hornsey Tribunal is not the proper authority to hear Leonard’s case, but should be referred to the City of London Tribunal to whom his employers were applying for exemption on his behalf.   However, the claim is returned to Hornsey on 23^rd May as the employers had withdrawn their business claim.  It is a moot point whether or not Leonard was still employed by them as a later hearing in July describes him as an unemployed Audit and Accounts Clerk.

Certainly Hornsey Tribunal had heard his case before 5^th July as there is a note with that date from the Tribunal Chair, Alderman Sloper, stating:  “He was offered exemption from combatant service but would not be satisfied with it and he intimated that he would not do any work in the national interest.”

Leonard then appealed to Middlesex Tribunal, again asking for absolute exemption. His statement contains the following: “I beg to appeal against the scantly and very unfair consideration of my claim for exemption…….I wish the Tribunal to understand that I do not belong to any no-conscription organisation but base my conviction on the Word of God alone…..I take NO PART in any political affairs of this world.”  Nowhere does Leonard mention any denominational allegiance, but his application contains several references to biblical texts.   On 20^th July Middlesex granted him exemption from combatant service, but I have found no further information about what happened to him for the rest of the War.   There is no indication on the Pearce Register, nor does Leonard seem to have any military records.

In 1920 he married Winifred A. Bolton in Hampshire. The couple are mentioned, living at 528 Norwich Road, Ipswich, on the 1939 Register – together with what seems to be their daughter Ruth, a shorthand typist, born on 19^th May 1922.  The only query over her is that her surname is given as David (Lewer).   Was she possibly adopted?  By then Leonard has become a Certified Accountant.

He died in Ipswich in June 1971 at the age of 76.

IWM/PR

NA/MH47

Jennifer Bell