Arthur St. John

Captain Arthur John St. John (8 September 1862 – 16 February 1938) was a British soldier, novelist and Tolstoyan who campaigned for pacifism, prison reform and vegetarianism. He was co-founder and secretary of the Penal Reform League.

Career

Captain St. John was born at Jullundar in 1862. He was the second son of Lieutenant Colonel Charles William St. John and Madalina Green.

In 1882, he joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and served in Malta, Aldershot and Burma. In October 1894, he wrote a letter to Tolstoy stating that The Kingdom of God Is Within You had a "tremendous effect upon" him and that he gave up soldiering to work for peace. He left Croydon and spent time at an agricultural community, Rev. H. Mill's Farm Colony in Kendal. Captain St. John was inspired by Job Harriman's utopian community called Llano del Rio. He founded the British Llano Circle and with the help of Ernest Bairstow published the British Llano Circle Bulletin. He also visited Whiteway Colony and kept in contact with the colonists. In 1898, he raised money for the Doukhobors through the help of Quakers but was arrested and imprisoned. Captain St. John and Kenworthy had both used the newspaper to promote Tolstoyism. He was a member of the Humanitarian League.

In 1907, in conjunction with Anne Cobden-Sanderson, he founded the Penal Reform League of which he was secretary. He allied himself with suffragettes who gave him their first hand experiences with prison conditions. It was titled Why Not Now? and published by C. W. Daniel Company in 1939.

Vegetarianism

Captain St. John was described as an animal lover who was a "staunch unswerving vegetarian" for 40 years. In 1901, he was a speaker at a Northern Heights Vegetarian Society meeting in Hampstead.

Death

Captain St. John suffered from a heart complaint in 1934. He had requested no flowers, mourning or grave. A small service was held at his home conducted by Rev. Ivor Ramsay and his remains were sent to Glasgow Crematorium.

(with an introduction by Dugald Semple)