Exemption from Service

[Jennyo]

My Grandfather was born in 1884 putting him as 30 years old at the time WW1 broke out.  He worked on the land and was unmarried at the time.

I know that the family he was living with at the time had a son 2 years his junior who enlisted in 1914 as did his neighbours who were to become his brother in laws 4 years later.  They were also farm workers.

I can find no war record and my mother does not think that he ever did serve in the war.

Is there anywhere I can find records as to why he could of been exempt?  I assume it may have been due to need for him to remain on the farm but could he have been a conscientious objector?

[stanmapstone]

"In the East Riding many farming families, who were struggling with lack of labour, went to tribunal to try to get their sons exempted from service, though not always successfully."
See https://www.mylearning.org/stories/scheduled-occupations-during-the-first-world-war/770?

Stan

[Jennyo]

"In the East Riding many farming families, who were struggling with lack of labour, went to tribunal to try to get their sons exempted from service, though not always successfully."
See https://www.mylearning.org/stories/scheduled-occupations-during-the-first-world-war/770?

Stan

Thank you Stan. The family were in Worcestershire and I guess the same could be true.  I can't find any records for him but as a 30 year old single man just working on someone elses farm I can't see anything that set him apart from his neighbours

[jim1]

He could have joined but deemed unfit for service.

[bearkat]

Men seeking exemption were often mentioned in local papers, It's worth a look.

[GrahamSimons]

And he could have joined but only served at home - so no medal card - and records destroyed in the Blitz. Might be mentioned if he had an obituary printed in a local paper - more common in the more distant past.