Hugh Brock
Encyclopedia
Hugh Brock was a lifelong British pacifist, editor of Peace News
between 1955 and 1964, a promoter of non-violent direct action and a founder of the Direct Action Committee
, a forerunner of the Committee of 100
.
Hugh Brock was a conscientious objector
in World War II. In May 1940, in the face of defence regulations and demands in parliament for the banning of Peace News, its printer refused to print more copies and, at the same time, the Wholesale Newsagent Association, which handled two-thirds of the circulation, refused to distribute it any longer. Alternative printing arrangements were made by the editor, Humphrey Moore, and Hugh and his brother, Ashley, then agreed to ignore the defence regulation and, with peace groups across Britain, created an efficient voluntary distribution chain.
Brock took on the role of assistant editor of Peace News in 1946 and became editor in 1955. At that time the newspaper was the official organ of the Peace Pledge Union
(PPU) but this formal link was broken in 1961. He left Peace News in 1964.
Between 1946 and 1952 Peace News, published more than 160 articles that were dedicated to the discussion of Gandhi's relevance to the West. During the 1950s, Hugh Brock played a significant role in the growth of non-violent protest in Britain. In November 1949, the PPU had set up a Non-Violence Commission to study non-violent resistance and the ideas of Gandhi. In December 1951, some members formed 'Operation Gandhi
' to organise non-violent direct action that was directly inspired by Gandhi. Among their aims were the withdrawal of US troops from Britain and an end to Britain's production of atomic weapons
. Brock was secretary of this group. Its activities included a sit-down outside the War Office
at the end of January 1952. Eleven protestors squatted in front of the War Office having first notified the police. The protestors did not resist arrest and pleaded guilty to the charges against them, following principles of non-violence.
There were other protests at Aldermaston, Mildenhall
, Porton Down
and the Atomic Energy Research Establishment
at Harwell. The protest march to Aldermaston in 1952 involved just 35 people and paved the way for the much larger Aldermaston Marches
that began in 1958.
In 1957, Hugh Brock was part of a committee that arranged protests against British testing of the H-bomb on Christmas Island
in the Pacific. This committee later became the Direct Action Committee
, which organised the 1958 Aldermaston March. With the formation of the Committee of 100
in 1960, which organised civil disobedience against nuclear weapons on a larger scale, the Direct Action Committee disbanded.
After leaving Peace News Brock continued to be involved with peace campaigning until his death in 1985. He kept a large number of papers, which were donated to the University of Bradford
by his wife Eileen .
The Hugh Brock Memorial Library, Zambia
was established in his memory.
Peace News
Peace News is a pacifist magazine first published on 6 June 1936 to serve the peace movement in the United Kingdom. From later in 1936 to April 1961 it was the official paper of the Peace Pledge Union , and from 1990 to 2004 was co-published with War Resisters' International.-History:Peace News was...
between 1955 and 1964, a promoter of non-violent direct action and a founder of the Direct Action Committee
Direct Action Committee
The Direct Action Committee against nuclear war was a pacifist organization formed "to assist the conducting of non-violent direct action to obtain the total renunciation of nuclear war and its weapons by Britain and all other countries as a first step in disarmament"...
, a forerunner of the Committee of 100
Committee of 100
The Committee of 100 was a British anti-war group. It was set up in 1960 with a hundred public signatories by Bertrand Russell, Ralph Schoenman and Reverend Michael Scott and others...
.
Hugh Brock was a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
in World War II. In May 1940, in the face of defence regulations and demands in parliament for the banning of Peace News, its printer refused to print more copies and, at the same time, the Wholesale Newsagent Association, which handled two-thirds of the circulation, refused to distribute it any longer. Alternative printing arrangements were made by the editor, Humphrey Moore, and Hugh and his brother, Ashley, then agreed to ignore the defence regulation and, with peace groups across Britain, created an efficient voluntary distribution chain.
Brock took on the role of assistant editor of Peace News in 1946 and became editor in 1955. At that time the newspaper was the official organ of the Peace Pledge Union
Peace Pledge Union
The Peace Pledge Union is a British pacifist non-governmental organization. It is open to everyone who can sign the PPU pledge: "I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war...
(PPU) but this formal link was broken in 1961. He left Peace News in 1964.
Between 1946 and 1952 Peace News, published more than 160 articles that were dedicated to the discussion of Gandhi's relevance to the West. During the 1950s, Hugh Brock played a significant role in the growth of non-violent protest in Britain. In November 1949, the PPU had set up a Non-Violence Commission to study non-violent resistance and the ideas of Gandhi. In December 1951, some members formed 'Operation Gandhi
Operation Gandhi
Operation Gandhi was a pacifist group in the early 1950s in the United Kingdom that carried out the country’s first non-violent, direct action protests in 1952....
' to organise non-violent direct action that was directly inspired by Gandhi. Among their aims were the withdrawal of US troops from Britain and an end to Britain's production of atomic weapons
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
. Brock was secretary of this group. Its activities included a sit-down outside the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
at the end of January 1952. Eleven protestors squatted in front of the War Office having first notified the police. The protestors did not resist arrest and pleaded guilty to the charges against them, following principles of non-violence.
There were other protests at Aldermaston, Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, Porton Down
Porton Down
Porton Down is a United Kingdom government and military science park. It is situated slightly northeast of Porton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. To the northwest lies the MoD Boscombe Down test range facility which is operated by QinetiQ...
and the Atomic Energy Research Establishment
Atomic Energy Research Establishment
The Atomic Energy Research Establishment near Harwell, Oxfordshire, was the main centre for atomic energy research and development in the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1990s.-Founding:...
at Harwell. The protest march to Aldermaston in 1952 involved just 35 people and paved the way for the much larger Aldermaston Marches
Aldermaston Marches
The Aldermaston marches were protest demonstrations organised by the British anti-war Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the 1950s and 1960s. They took place on Easter weekend between the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in Berkshire, England, and London, over a distance of...
that began in 1958.
In 1957, Hugh Brock was part of a committee that arranged protests against British testing of the H-bomb on Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
in the Pacific. This committee later became the Direct Action Committee
Direct Action Committee
The Direct Action Committee against nuclear war was a pacifist organization formed "to assist the conducting of non-violent direct action to obtain the total renunciation of nuclear war and its weapons by Britain and all other countries as a first step in disarmament"...
, which organised the 1958 Aldermaston March. With the formation of the Committee of 100
Committee of 100
The Committee of 100 was a British anti-war group. It was set up in 1960 with a hundred public signatories by Bertrand Russell, Ralph Schoenman and Reverend Michael Scott and others...
in 1960, which organised civil disobedience against nuclear weapons on a larger scale, the Direct Action Committee disbanded.
After leaving Peace News Brock continued to be involved with peace campaigning until his death in 1985. He kept a large number of papers, which were donated to the University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
by his wife Eileen .
The Hugh Brock Memorial Library, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
was established in his memory.