WW1 conscientious objectors remembered with plaque

Shefik Mehmet, Chair of Harringay Traders’ Association, greeted the plaque’s installation enthusiastically stressing its contribution to the vibrancy of the Green Lanes community.

A plaque recognising hundreds of local anti-First World War campaigners has been installed on Harringay Green Lanes. The memorial was set up outside the Salisbury Hotel “To commemorate all those war resisters who gathered here at Salisbury Corner to oppose the First World War 1914-1918 and particularly the 350 brave Haringey men who were conscientious objectors”.

The gathering mentioned in the plaque’s message refers to anti-war protests held by conscientious objectors and other peace activists outside the Salisbury Hotel at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

Conscientious objectors refused to join the armed forces on grounds of conscience, and were regularly derided as “cowards” throughout the war. Some were sentenced to prison and hard labour, while others performed non-combatant military roles such as providing ambulance services to injured soldiers on the battlefields.

The memorial plaque was unveiled on 15 May 2019 in front of an audience of around 150 people with support from local MPs Catherine West and David Lammy who could not be present for the event.

The words of Harry Phipps, a printer and one of the 350 Haringey conscientious objectors, were read out at the inauguration by actor Jim Broadbent: ‘War can only become impossible when a sufficient number of people believing in the brotherhood of man refuse to take up arms against each other’.  

Representing the London Borough of Haringey, Councillor Mark Blake spoke about the importance of a full sense of history in our current troubled times and welcomed the plaque’s installation. He was joined by Councillor Emina Ibrahim, representing the Mayor of Haringey, who unveiled the memorial to much applause.

Shefik Mehmet, Chair of Harringay Traders’ Association, greeted the plaque’s installation enthusiastically stressing its contribution to the vibrancy of the Green Lanes community.

The event ended with pacifist songs of the First World War era performed by singer Patricia Hammond and musician Matt Redman.

The creation of the plaque was made possible by a grant made to the Haringey First World War Peace Forum (HPWWF) by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The words of Harry Phipps, a printer and one of the 350 Haringey conscientious objectors, were read out at the inauguration by actor Jim Broadbent.