George Chatterton-Hill was the Irish writer of several books on evolution and sociology. He wrote at the start of the 20th century, when the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel's work, had created turmoil over Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. He was also very influenced by the writings of Herbert Spencer regarding evolution and society, and of Benjamin Kidd regarding society and religion.
He emphasises the impossibility of liberalism, which recommends individual freedom insofar as it does not restrict the individual freedom of others. The objection, he says, is that it is inconsistent with competition. Liberalism, he says, is not possible in the context of evolutionary theory, given man's ceaseless urge for expansion which conflicts with the idea of equality for all. In reality, he claims, the superior group or class always oppresses the inferior masses, who eventually revolt. All revolutions result simply in the replacement of the ruling class by a new ruling class. He refers to the German concept of rechtsstaat, and his ideas reflect the prominence of social Darwinism of the time.
Chatterton-Hill spent World War I in Germany out of Irish nationalist sentiment and corresponded with Roger Casement. He was said to have worked for German Deputy Erzberger as his private secretary according to Charles Curry's book and described there also as "born in Ceylon of an Irish father and native mother but never to have put foot on Irish soil".[1]
In an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on 9 April 1948 the Ipswich MP Richard Stokes said: "This afternoon I wish to raise with the Government a matter which I raised with the Foreign Secretary on 23 October 1946, relating to the death of a British subject, Dr. Chatterton-Hill. On 23 October 1946, in reply to a Question from me, the Foreign Secretary said: "I am informed by the competent authorities that Mr. Chatterton-Hill's case has been reviewed and that it has been decided not to institute proceedings against him. He has been notified of this decision, and he and his wife will be afforded the usual facilities should they wish to return to this country."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 23 October 1946; vol. 427, c. 362.]" It is necessary for me to give a little of the background to show who this gentleman was—for he is now dead. He was of British nationality, supplied with a British passport which, in fact, was renewed twice during the war through the Swiss Embassy, and due to expire only on 7 November 1945. He was an author and philosopher, married to a German lady, and lived in Germany for some time prior to the outbreak of war. When war broke out he was actually in hospital, suffering very acutely. He was allowed out of hospital by the Germans in January or February, 1940, but was immediately put into a concentration camp, where he was labelled as an undesirable alien. He was kept there until January, 1941, when, on account of 572 the very extreme state into which his health had got, I suppose it was thought that he would be better outside than in. He had no means of earning his livelihood, and engaged himself in translating the British news into German for the Germans in Berlin. This, presumably, went on, so far as I know, until the end of the war when we arrived in Berlin.
From 8 August 1945, until 3 March 1946, he was allowed to live in a British camp at Ruhleben. On 6 September 1945, although he had applied for repatriation, suddenly his passport and that of his wife were demanded and taken from them, and they were turned out on to the streets. It appears that this resulted, according to his wife's account, from a Home Office report that he had indulged in treasonable activities during the 1914–18 war, that he had worked for Germany in 1939 to 1945, that he had lived in Germany for so long that his repatriation was not now desirable, and that, probably, if he did return to England, he would be prosecuted. All that was cleared up by the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to me in October, 1946, when, the case having been fully investigated, it was decided that that cause did not lie at all.
At the same time, at this period in 1946, the Consul gave instructions to the P.W.X. Department in Berlin to confiscate his passport and to afford to him no facilities which would normally be afforded to a British subject. When Dr. Chatterton-Hill heard of this report—it was only read to him; he was never given a copy of it—he demanded to be brought home and tried. That was refused. He was not told by whom the charges were made, and it was suggested that the whole affair must have arisen because of his Sinn Féin activities from 1914 to 1918, which had been dealt with in October, 1928, when the whole thing was wiped off the slate and he and his wife were granted passports unconditionally."
His case was discussed in the House of Commons on five occasions: 23 October 1946, 5 March 1947, 3 March 1948, 9 April 1948 (as above) and 15 September 1948.
Chatterton-Hill died on 12 January 1947. His German wife was airlifted to the United Kingdom on 19 February 1947 sent to a hostel in Renfrewshire and given an ex gratia payment of £1,084 which enabled her to have an income of a 35s. a week annuity.[2]
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