It’s sometimes said that the richness of a library’s collection can be judged by the number and variety of its pamphlets. This Library has over a thousand boxes and volumes of pamphlets, which we aim to catalogue individually.

Pamphlets have long been used to popularise political or religious ideas, or as an important campaigning tool, and can be issued speedily in response to unfolding events. Cheap to produce and distribute, they can be printed in much larger numbers than books – yet their physical flimsiness means their chances of survival are often lower. Pamphlets, posters and ephemera are frequently among the rarest items in library collections. When they survive, they can be a rich primary source on the opinions and activities of pressure groups, campaigning bodies and individuals.

The Library holds hundreds of pamphlets produced before, during and immediately after World War I. The collection is not limited to Quaker material, but includes pamphlets of all kinds, both religious and secular[1], on a wide range of peace and war related topics[2]. Among them are a core of 400 plus “War Tracts” collected by Philip Millwood, donated by him to the Adult School Guest House, Guildford in 1921 and arriving at this Library in 1930.

All of the peace pamphlets have been catalogued, as part of our ongoing Retrospective Cataloguing Project, and can be searched using our online catalogue. TIP: For a more effective search use “Advanced search” and select Library catalogue > Books, to search by title, author, organisation, publication year or subject – or use “Expert search” and search in Library catalogue > Books for a wider range of search options, including date range, publisher, language and publication type.

Grants for the 18 month peace project included funds for dis-binding 37 tightly bound volumes of “War tracts” and “Peace pamphlets”, conserving and re-housing the pamphlets in archival quality boxes, for better preservation and ease of use.

Inscription on flyleaf of “War tracts” volume collected by Philip Millwood

Memorandum on universal national service (London: Friends Service Committee and No-Conscription Fellowship, 1916) (Library reference L 051.54 [War tracts 6])

Stand clear, England! Austria and Servia are at war (London: War and Peace, 1914) (Library reference L 051.54 [War tracts 6])

Britain’s first duty. No war! (International Arbitration League, 1914) (Library reference L 051.54 [War tracts 2])

Manifesto of the absolutists at Wakefield (London: No-Conscription Fellowship, 1918) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/64])

Hobhouse, S and R. Wanted in every land: men and women of vision! (London: National Labour Press, [1917?]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/44])

Extracts from letters received from conscientious objectors in military custody (London: Friends Service Committee, 1916) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/26])

Russell, Bertrand. Political ideals (London: National Council for Civil Liberties, 1917) (Library reference 051.54 [Peace 12/19])

Malleson, Miles. Cranks and commonsense : an essay of to-day (London: Hendersons, 1916) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/10])

Wilson, William E. Atonement and non-resistance (London: Headley Brothers, 1914) (Library reference 051.54 [War 2/7])

Brockway, A. Fenner. What the ILP wants (Manchester: National Labour Press, 1914?) (Library reference 051.54 [War 2/1])

Official programme of the Great Peace Meeting in Trafalgar Square, Sunday, August 2nd, 1914 (1914) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/2])

Montefiore, Dora B. Anti-Militarism from the workers’ point of view (London: Workers’ Anti-Militarist Committee, [1913?]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/1])

How the war came (London: ILP; Manchester: National Labour Press, 1915) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/34])

Swanwick, H. M. Women and war (London: Union of Democratic Control, [1915]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/3])

Newbold, J. T. Walton. War trust exposed (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/33])

Macdonald, Ramsey. War and the workers (London: UDC, [1915]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/23])

The international industry of war (London: UDC, [1914]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/22])

Angell, Norman. Shall this war end German militarism? (London: Union of Democratic Control, [1917]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/17])

To all women! (London: Fellowship of Reconciliation, [1915?]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/15])

Heath, Carl. The Messages Committee and War Victims’ Service of the National Peace Council (London : National Peace Council, [1916]) (Library reference 051.56 [NPC 1/1a])

The court-martial friend and prison guide ([London: No-Conscription Fellowship; Pelican Press, 1917?]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/71])

The absolutists’ objection to conscription: a statement & an appeal to the conscience of the nation (London: Friends Service Committee (1915-1920); Pelican Press, [1917]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/32])

The Society of Friends and the social order: a message to all Friends (London : Pelican Press, [1916]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/31])

Williams, Robert. Un-commonsense about the war (London: Limit Printing and Publishing, [1915]) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/8])

Lansbury, George. In France (London: Limit Printing and Publishing Company, 1915) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/5])

Benson, George. Why Britain should disarm (Manchester; London: National Labour Press, 1915?) (Library reference: 051.54 [War 1/4])

Morel, E. D. The outbreak of the war (Letchworth: Garden City Press, 1915) (Library reference 051.54 [War 1/2])

A blot on the Empire : conscription in New Zealand (London: Friends Peace Committee, [1913?]) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/7])

Conscription at work (London: Friends Peace Committee, [1913]) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/47])

Brock, A. Clutton. International life and the Kingdom of God (London: Friends Peace Committee, 1916) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/14])

Rolland, Romain. Above the battlefield (London: Friends Peace Committee, 1916) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/13]

Friends Peace Committee. Looking towards Peace (London: Headley Brothers, 1915) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/12])

Brown, E. Vipont. Christianity and war. 3rd ed. (London: Friends Peace Committee, 1915) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/11])

Wilson, John J. The devilry of war. 4th ed.(London: Friends Peace Committee, 1916) (Library reference 051.56 [Peace Cttee 1/3])

No-Conscription Fellowship pamphlets list on the back cover of Malleson, Miles. The out-and-outer (1916) (Library reference 051.54 [War 12/58])

[1] Publications of the following organisations are represented:

Alternative Service Guild
American Association for International Conciliation
Anti-Conscription League
British Stop the War Committee
Fabian Society
Fellowship of Reconciliation [active from 1914 –  ]
Friends Peace Committee
Friends Service Committee
Friends War Victims Relief Committee (1914-1919)
Independent Labour Party (Great Britain)
National Council against Conscription
National Council for Civil Liberties
National Peace Council [1908 – 2000]
No Conscription Fellowship [1914- ]
Northern Friends Peace Board
Rationalist Peace Society [1910 – 1920s]
School Peace League
Socialist Quaker Society
Swiss Committee for the Study of the Principles of a Durable Treaty of Peace
Union of Democratic Control [1914- 1960s]
War & Social Order Committee (1915-1928)
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Workers’ Anti-Militarist Committee
World Peace Foundation [organisation in Boston, Mass., active from 1910]

You might also search these publishers:
Limit Printing and Publishing – owned by George Lansbury
Headley Brothers – a favoured Quaker publishing company
National Labour Press
War and Peace – pacifist journal founded by Norman Angell, October 1913

[2] Some World War I related subject areas covered  by peace pamphlet collection:

Peace, international understanding, arbitration, foreign policy and diplomacy, Hague Conference, peace conferences, militarisation, armaments, disarmament, League of Nations

Military training, Military Service Acts, Australasia Defence Acts, conscription, pacifism, non-violence, conscientious objection, absolute conscientious objection, tribunals, prisons, prison ministers, Defence of the Realm Act (1917), censorship

Christianity and war, Just war, atrocities, women, refugees, relief, food supply

Christian socialism, social justice, League of Nations