Impression sketch
of 'The White Feather: A Sketch of English Recruiting' -
Arnold Bennett - by
Jamie. See the original at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/nicoletta-f-gullace/white-feather-girls-womens-militarism-in-uk
White Feather by Jamie Mann
White Feather by Jamie Mann
A negative
recruiting effect,
Led to the death
of a one
Man aged 34 - a
taxi driver,
Richard Charles
Roberts.
Attempting to
join the army,
In October 1914,
Mr Roberts
Was told that he
could not
Be taken, due to a
weak heart.
Mrs Roberts told
that her
Husband had been
very lowly
Depressed afterwards - since
Having received
many taunts.
These jibes had been
directed
To him by amateur
recruiters,
And reproaches of
women -
A soldier
relative added facts.
Mr Richard Robert's
life had
Been made quite miserable -
From women,
calling him
A coward, for not
joining up.
Events finally
and sadly came
To ahead, when
this taxi driver
Of Shepherds
Bush, faced
Two 'White
Feather women.'
In middle of
July, two random
Women of Maida-vale, then
Insulted him
terribly - likely
Handing him white
feathers.
Faced with this known symbol,
In suggesting his
cowardice
Led to Mr Roberts
suicide,
By self inflicted
gun wounds.
Saturday 24
July, an Ealing
Inquest with Deputy Coroner,
Inquest with Deputy Coroner,
Reginald Kemp for
West
Middlesex, heard his remarks.
Strong words were
directed
To women, having
nothing
Better to do, than
making life
Of such men unbearable.
Such men who did
their duty
When nothing was
known
About their circumstances;
Shame would fall
on them.
This man, Richard
Roberts,
Had been driven
to his death,
In foolish active provocations,
By two women with
feathers.
Such packs of silly
women, in
Abominable scandalous acts
Abominable scandalous acts
of taunting conduct, had need
To curb any future prevention.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. White
Feather Women - Coroner's Strong Remarks. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 26 July. P.4. Col.4. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11742053/Daily-Telegraph-July-26-1915.html
[Accessed: 26 July 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 26 July
2015).
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