On Two Fronts: Corder Catchpool, a WW1 Prisoner of Conscience

Andrew Greaves (brother of our Friend Claire) will be speaking to the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History at Blackbourne Hall in Elmswell on 13 December at 2:30pm about the life of Corder Catchpool, their grandfather, who was a pacifist in World War 1.

At the start of the war in 1914, Corder was one of the first to volunteer as an ambulance driver, and he served at the front in that capacity until 1916, when he came home to face a military tribunal. Thereafter Corder was in prison (solitary confinement) until the end of the war. He undertook the study of history and German whilst in prison, because he wished to dedicate the rest of his life to reconciliation between the British and German peoples. As history shows, Corder rightly predicted that the punitive terms of the Versailles treaty would inevitably bring about another war with Germany. Two books of Corder’s letters from prison were published.

Corder Catchpool later ran the Quaker Centre in Berlin during the 1930s with our grandmother Gwen until they were obliged to leave in 1936, when it became too dangerous politically to stay there.

Andrew is a member of Hexham Quaker Meeting. His talk is being given at the invitation of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. Further details for finding the venue etc. are available from the Institute’s website at: http://www.suffolkinstitute.org.uk/activities

Claire says “It would be great if you could support this event. Knowing Andrew, his talk is sure to be thought-provoking!”