Casgliadau Arlein

Digital copy of letter dated 16 April 1918.

Lender records that "My paternal grandfather William R. Roberts who worked at Penrhyn Quarry appears to have managed to avoid being conscripted by paying a bribe on at least one occasion to a man called Lemuel Thomas, who was I think a member of the “Local Tribunal” at Bethesda. In this letter dated 16 April 1918 and headed “Local Tribunal Bethesda NW”, LT thanks my grandfather for 10/- “ am yr hyn a wnes er eich cael allan o afaeilion y fyddin “[= for what I’ve done in order to keep you out of the grasp of the army ] and then goes on to outline what my grandfather should do in order to continue to evade military service. An accompanying note by my father points out that 10/- was sufficient to buy three pairs of shoes in 1918, so would have been a significant sum of money for a man who had five children. And, it didn’t mean either that my grandfather was able to remain at home with his family in Bethesda - I gather from my father’s note that his father had had to move to work at a gasworks of some sort near Nantwich in Cheshire."

Full translation -

Dear Roberts, Your letter reached me safely last night, enclosing 10/ as acknowledgement of what I have done to keep you from the army’s grasp. I also feel thankful, and glad to see that you appreciate what I have done, and continue to do for you. Now, regarding your letter and your requirements. No there is no ‘game’ afoot – that’s how it is when a man moves to a different place. They pursue him with all their energy – but stand as a lion, as you are exempt. For you to go to Chester to face a Medical Board would be folly. You would be in danger of being classed higher and the military would surely try and withdraw your exemption. As things stand, a man with a Tribunal Exemption does not have to attend the exam if he has faced the Medical Board once. I have a letter from the Local Government Board on the matter – and on this it is very certain. But under the new bill which is brought before Parliament tonight to be passed, I believe they will have the right to force us to undertake a second exam – but this will not come into effect for three weeks or a month. As things stand we do not have to. Regarding the Calling-up Notice from Wrexham. This happens to everyone like you who received an Exemption, to go and do work of this kind, with 3 months to report. I have sent it back to Wrexham, explaining your case, and that you have [placed] a request for Conditional Exemption for their consideration next Thursday. I believe it will go through without trouble. Above all, you are exempt on domestic personal grounds, and this will hold even though they have withdrawn occupational exemptions. I’m taking care of this, as I did with the Certificate before. Do not think or worry any more about the Calling-up Notice. It has gone the way of “all the world”. However, I will not interfere with anybody’s Warrants. I have nothing to do with those – or I would have had enough to paper this house long ago. Every A, B1, C1 which received an exemption by us will have to come before them next Thursday Night to be reconsidered, and it looks very grim for them in my opinion. While you remain a BII or 3rd Grade you will be left in peace, and maybe if you do not like and succeed here, we can somehow move you to somewhere else. I believe you can now feel quite at ease. If you can get a letter from your foreman tomorrow, saying that you are working there, and send it to me by Thursday night, it would be a very good. If you can get it, send it to me.

With kind regards, Sincerely, Lemuel Thomas