Henry Tibbs
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Henry Stanley Tibbs (died 1943) was an United Kingdom
vicar briefly interned in 1940 under Defence Regulation 18B
for his alleged pro-Nazi sympathies.
Henry Tibbs was the Vicar
of the parish of Teigh
, Rutland
in the United Kingdom
. On 8 July 1940, Tibbs was arrest
ed after it was claimed that he was a fascist
. He was released on 19 August, being considered harmless. It is now believed that Tibbs was detained unnecessarily, with most of the evidence against him being gossip
.
. Amongst the people who claimed he was fascist was the Reverend Douglas Bartlett, vicar of a neighbouring parish, an estranged former friend of Tibbs. He claimed that Tibbs once hid two "members of the Gestapo
" in his rectory
and that he was "conveying his Nazi views to his parishioners which had now developed into a defeatist theme by describing the losses made by the enemy on our Naval
forces as of a far more serious character than that disclosed by the British official reports." Bartlett also alleged that Tibbs said to his (Bartlett's) children that "Hitler
and Goering
were the finest men in the world".
Other people claimed that Tibbs said that Winston Churchill
was, "a drug addict and a dictator
of the vilest kind, in fact the worst dictator in the world and in the pay of the American
Jews." He was also accused of saying that Germany
was, "our natural friend", that he had taken interest in local aerodrome
s and that, "Tibbs substitutes Edward, Duke of Windsor [a suspected fascist sympathiser] for the name of the King."
While being interrogated
, Tibbs admitted that in 1935 he had been a member of the British Union of Fascists
, but this was because of the party's agricultural
policy. His son, John Dudley Montague Tibbs, a well-known amateur boxer
, had also joined the BUF, but Tibbs claimed that he joined because of the uniform
.. Dudley Tibbs was also detained. Tibbs denied that he had been hosting members of the Gestapo, praised Hitler or called Churchill a drug addict. He said that local people would often be found "gaping" at the planes at RAF Cottesmore
and he claimed that he mentioned the Duke of Windsor because, "I thought he wanted praying for as much as anyone else."
On 19 August, the restrictions against Tibbs were revoked after he appealed. It was claimed that being "an Irishman
" and that being "loquacious and eloquent", Tibbs would, "let his tongue
run away with him". The original detention however was felt justified. Tibbs returned to Teigh, but never recovered from the incident. During his time in prison he caught pneumonia
and said that, "You have completely destroyed the life of an innocent man." He returned as vicar but he slipped into obscurity. He conducted his last service on 31 January 1943 and was buried ten days later.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
vicar briefly interned in 1940 under Defence Regulation 18B
Defence Regulation 18B
Defence Regulation 18B, often referred to as simply 18B, was the most famous of the Defence Regulations used by the British Government during World War II. The complete technical reference name for this rule was: Regulation 18B of the Defence Regulations 1939. It allowed for the internment of...
for his alleged pro-Nazi sympathies.
Henry Tibbs was the Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of the parish of Teigh
Teigh
Teigh is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is notable for its parish church, almost unaltered since a 1782 rebuild, that features pews that face one another rather than the altar....
, Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. On 8 July 1940, Tibbs was arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
ed after it was claimed that he was a fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
. He was released on 19 August, being considered harmless. It is now believed that Tibbs was detained unnecessarily, with most of the evidence against him being gossip
Gossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
.
History
Tibbs was the vicar of Teigh, preaching to 72 people. from 1925. During his time as vicar, he became the subject of gossip and fell out of friendship with several people, some of whom started to spread rumours that he was a fascist. Tibbs was arrested on 8 July 1940 and was sent to Liverpool PrisonLiverpool (HM Prison)
HM Prison Liverpool is a categoryB/C local men's prison, located in the Walton area of Liverpool in England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
. Amongst the people who claimed he was fascist was the Reverend Douglas Bartlett, vicar of a neighbouring parish, an estranged former friend of Tibbs. He claimed that Tibbs once hid two "members of the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
" in his rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
and that he was "conveying his Nazi views to his parishioners which had now developed into a defeatist theme by describing the losses made by the enemy on our Naval
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
forces as of a far more serious character than that disclosed by the British official reports." Bartlett also alleged that Tibbs said to his (Bartlett's) children that "Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Goering
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
were the finest men in the world".
Other people claimed that Tibbs said that Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
was, "a drug addict and a dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of the vilest kind, in fact the worst dictator in the world and in the pay of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Jews." He was also accused of saying that Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was, "our natural friend", that he had taken interest in local aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
s and that, "Tibbs substitutes Edward, Duke of Windsor [a suspected fascist sympathiser] for the name of the King."
While being interrogated
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
, Tibbs admitted that in 1935 he had been a member of the British Union of Fascists
British Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
, but this was because of the party's agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
policy. His son, John Dudley Montague Tibbs, a well-known amateur boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, had also joined the BUF, but Tibbs claimed that he joined because of the uniform
Uniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
.. Dudley Tibbs was also detained. Tibbs denied that he had been hosting members of the Gestapo, praised Hitler or called Churchill a drug addict. He said that local people would often be found "gaping" at the planes at RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
and he claimed that he mentioned the Duke of Windsor because, "I thought he wanted praying for as much as anyone else."
On 19 August, the restrictions against Tibbs were revoked after he appealed. It was claimed that being "an Irishman
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
" and that being "loquacious and eloquent", Tibbs would, "let his tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
run away with him". The original detention however was felt justified. Tibbs returned to Teigh, but never recovered from the incident. During his time in prison he caught pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and said that, "You have completely destroyed the life of an innocent man." He returned as vicar but he slipped into obscurity. He conducted his last service on 31 January 1943 and was buried ten days later.