We’re up to , in the second year of the “passive resistance” campaign against provisions of the Education Act.
The Bedforshire Advertiser reported on what it described as a pretty lackluster example of summonses against passive resisters in Luton. About 50 Passive Resistance League members were in court, one of them was allowed to give a speech in defense of the whole lot, which covered the usual set of grievances against the Act, and then a single distress warrant was issued to cover the set of cases (this meant fewer expenses would be added to the bill than if individual warrants were issued).
The Derby Daily Telegraph of covered a protest rally held there:
Passive Resistance in Derby.
Demonstration in the Market-Place.
Enthusiastic Proceedings
Another Resister To Be Imprisoned in Derby Gaol.
On a public demonstration
to protest against the Education Act, and the sales conducted of local
resisters’ goods , was
held, at which fully 1,000 people were present.…
The Rev. P.A. Hudgell then
moved the following resolution:– “That this meeting rejoices at the success of
the passive resistance policy throughout the country, and heartily
congratulates those citizens of Derby who have borne inconvenience and
financial loss for conscience sake, and pledges itself to maintain an
unyielding opposition to the injustice of the Education Act of
.”
In the course of his remarks Mr.
[Rev. J.K.] Kirby stated
that he had been given to understand that another Primitive Methodist
minister, the Rev. Freer
Bell, of Alfreton, was to be imprisoned in Derby Gaol on
as a passive resister.
