A Yorkshire Almanac Comprising 365 Historical Extracts, Red-letter Days and Customs, and Astronomical and Meteorological Data
Times. 1911/12/06. Imprisonment for Blasphemy. London. Get it:
.At Leeds Assizes yesterday, before Mr Justice Horridge, Thomas William Stewart, 28, analytical chemist, was indicted for blasphemy at Leeds on August 28. It was stated that the prisoner was president of the Free Thought Socialist League and the British Secular League. In the course of speeches made in the Leeds Town Hall Square he said, “God is not a fit companion for a respectable man like me,” and made a number of other profane remarks. The prisoner said he was being prosecuted under a moth-eaten statute. He quoted Lord Morley and other writers. The prisoner was found guilty. On being sentenced to three months’ imprisonment he said, “The sentence is worthy of your religion.” At the same assizes John William Gott, 45, traveller, was charged with having published blasphemous libels against the holy scriptures in a pamphlet entitled Rib-ticklers, or Questions for Parsons. He was found guilty and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.
WP:
His imprisonment produced a number of petitions in his support and an attempt in parliament to repeal the law on blasphemy. Gott was supported by a number of M.P.s. as well as the Conway Hall Ethical Society and many of its members and supporters like Frederick James Gould, William Thomas Stead, Chapman Cohen and George William Foote.[4]: 280 The proposed new legislation to replace the blasphemy law was supported by the Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, but it failed to pass through parliament.[4]: 282
[…]
His final arrest was in 1921, initially for obstruction after selling birth control tracts and other material.[4] The charge was increased to blasphemy. At his last trial at the Old Bailey in London in 1921, he was found guilty, and sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour.[5] An appeal was lodged, supported by the National Secular Society; the Lord Chief Justice upheld the conviction. Giving the judgement at the Court of Appeal, Lord Trevethin C.J. said:
It does not require a person of strong religious feelings to be outraged by a description of Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem “like a circus clown on the back of two donkeys”. There are other passages in the pamphlets equally offensive to anyone in sympathy with the Christian religion, whether he be a strong Christian, or a lukewarm Christian, or merely a person sympathizing with their ideals. Such a person might be provoked to a breach of the peace.”[6]
By the time Gott was released, his weak health had been broken by the conditions of his imprisonment. He died on 4 November 1922, at the age of 56. Historian Edward Royle describes him as a “witty and attractive character” who became more “embittered” after the death of his wife.[4] He was buried at Scholemoor Cemetery, Bradford.
Unfortunately for this almanac, his 1921 conviction was based on offences committed in London while living in London – see The Times report on the appeal.
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IMPRISONMENT FOR BLASPHEMY.
At Leeds Assizes yesterday, before Mr. Justice Horridge, THOMAS WILLIAM STEWART, 28, analytical chemist, was indicted for blasphemy at Leeds on August 28.
It was stated that the prisoner was president of the Free Thought Socialist League and the British Secular League. In the course of speeches made in the Leeds Town Hall-square he said, “God is not a fit companion for a respectable man like me,” and made a number of other profane remarks.
The prisoner said he was being prosecuted under a moth-eaten statute. He quoted Lord Morley and other writers.
The prisoner was found Guilty. On being sentenced to three months’ imprisonment he said, “The sentence is worthy of your religion.”
At the same Assizes JOHN WILLIAM GOTT, 45, traveller, was charged with having published blasphemous libels against the Holy Scriptures in a pamphlet entitled “Rib-Ticklers,” or “Questions for Parsons.” He was found Guilty and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.
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