Roland Pepper
In 1911 he was a civil engineering student.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Roland Pepper was born in 1891 at Lenton, Nottingham, he was the son of Aaron an assistant school master and Flora Diane Pepper née Townsend and the brother of Bernard, Bertha and Elsie Pepper.
His father Aaron was born in 1864 at Hyson Green, he died in 1917 he was 63 yrs old, his mother Flora Diane Townsend was born in 1865 at Radford, they were married in 1886 at Nottingham they went on to have 5 children.
In the 1911 census the family lived at 11 Albert Road Lenton Nottingham Aaron 47 yrs is an assistant school master, he is living with his wife Flora Diane 46 yrs and their children, Bernard 24 yrs a lace warehouseman, Bertha 22 yrs working at home, Elsie 16 yrs a scholar, and Roland 20 yrs a student civil engineer.
Private Roland Pepper enlisted at Liverpool on 15th August 1914 giving his address as 20 Church St, Wallasy, he was 24 yrs and 30 days , he was a civil engineer, he was posted to the 10th King's Liverpool Regiment, and on 25th July 1916 was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, he landed in France on 1st November 1914, where he served until 18th January 1915 when he returned to England. He retuend to France on 8th August 1916 he was killed in action on 2nd November 1916
On March 11th 1915, Aaron Pepper was granted one and a quarter hour's leave 'on account of his son going to the front.' (Headmaster's log Radford Boulevard Boys' School Nottingham).
On July 19th 1916, Nottingham Education Committee was told that a special sub committee had deliberated over the ‘alleged unpatriotic conduct of a teacher’. Alderman Sir J T McGraith submitted a report , which included a copy of a letter which Aaron Pepper, assistant master at the Radford Boulevard School, admitted writing on 19th May 1916 to a German, Alfred Senff interned in the Knockaloe Internment Camp, Isle of Man. Observations about the letter by Detective Sergeant Castle were also submitted.
The committee concluded ‘that they do not consider Mr Aaron Pepper a fit and proper person to continue to act as a Teacher…(and therefore recommended) that he be dismissed from the service of the City of Nottingham Education Committee (such a dismissal to take effect on 31st July.’
Pepper appealed ‘for mercy expressing ‘deep regret for a wicked letter and appealing for ‘forgiveness’. The Committee decided ‘That he be suspended from teaching until December 31st 1916 and that he be then re-appointed on probation only at a reduced salary at the rate of £100 p.a. for six months at the close of which period the question of continuing his services shall be further considered.’ Eighteen months later, the December 18th 1917 Education Committee meeting was told of the death of ‘Mr A Pepper late certified assistant teacher at Bulwell Quarry Road School.’
Aaron Pepper's letter has not survived. It is perhaps understandable that the Education Committee should have been concerned at (presumably) anti-war views being expressed by a teacher to an enemy internee. However, Pepper’s treatment seems unreasonably harsh. That he was obliged to grovel to avoid dismissal and his reduction of salary as a condition of continuing employment seem unnecessarily spiteful.
David Nunn
Photo of Roland Pepper
Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium