Charles John Cobb was an Absolutist Conscientious Objector from Croydon. A strongly religious Christian, he believed that when Conscription was introduced in 1916 he could not go against the commandments of his faith and refused not only an active role in the fighting, but any supporting role as well. As an Absolutist CO, Charles refused any and all compromise and spent from 1916-1919 in and out of prison serving five successive sentences of hard labour for refusing all military orders. Ultimately, the harsh conditions of prison would lead him to become malnourished, disabled and critically ill. Before the expiration of his last sentence in March 1919, he was sent home to die out of sight and out of mind of the prison authorities.

The newspaper produced by the No-Conscription Fellowship, The Tribunal, published his obituary on the 27th of March 1919:

“Charles John Cobb of Croydon, who was arrested on August 31st 1916, and had served five terms of imprisonment with hard labour, was released from Winchester Prison on Feb 25, totally broken down in health. On March 17, he died. A friend writes:

“He rallied a little when he reached home, good food and the joy of freedom probably aided him just for a time. Early on Monday Morning, he was taken very ill and passed away just before midnight. The doctor we called in pronounced the case hopeless at once and said that he could not survive long; he was suffering from congestion of the lungs and pleurisy and also was in the last stages of consumption. Moreover he was also suffering from curvature of the spine caused through carrying coals for ten weeks at Pentonville Prison. When he was unable to carry the load and fell under the weight, he told us he was picked up and made to start off again with bags of coal or coke. You will readily understand that this treatment will easily account for the death of a man used to clerical work and not strong to start with.”

Mr Cobb was a conscientious objector from strictly Christian principles, and had no other motive whatever for his actions. He loved his Lord and followed him closely even though the path led to death. His occupation previous to his arrest was that of a clerk, but he was also a minister of the Gospel, and intended after his return to give up his whole life for the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ. He has been a Sunday school teacher and a preacher and an open-air worker for very many years.

He was 41 years of age and has left a wife and child almost unprovided for, and the wife in a very delicate state of health too.”

Charles Cobb was one of few conscientious objectors to appear in the memoirs and recollections of many other men he met. Clearly both a memorable and a well liked figure in Winchester, Pentonville and Wormwood Scrubs, many COs remembered his drive and vision. One, George Baker, wrote years afterwards:

“C- a clerk in private life, served, in all, five sentences stretching over three and a half years. When I met him first his face was the face of a man who had looked upon God’s world and found it desperately evil. When - a week before his release, a dying man, and a month before his release, a murdered man - I saw him last, his face was the face of a saint who had finished with earth and earth’s desperate evil.”

Though his name is engraved upon the Conscientious Objector memorial plaque, Charles Cobb’s story was almost forgotten until the late 1989, when memorial lectures began to be held in Charles’ name in his hometown of Croydon. A gravestone was erected as a memorial after public subscription and a road in Croydon - Charles Cobb Gardens - bears his name. He is now well remembered as he should always have been, as a man of strong principles who stood up against war, against death and against militarism.